There Is Always Goodbye
by My writing is this
Summary: Evy Connors lived a normal life. That is until visions changed it. With the help of one man she embraced her fate. With the help of two others she would learn and do things she never thought imaginable. A journey to find herself and her place in the world
1. Visions

**A/N: Nothing you recognize from the show Supernatural does not belong to me. Anything new is mine. This is a new Fanfiction of mine. I hope you enjoy. Tell me what you think so I know if I should continue with this one. Dreams/Visions are in italics as well as thoughts. Read and Review please and thank you!!! I hope you enjoy it.**

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**_**Chapter One: Visions**_

_A young man with thick brown hair, blue eyes, great build, very attractive. He wore a black leather jacket over a red button up with a black t-shirt on underneath it. He wore his hair slightly spiked. He held a gun in his hands. He stood in the center of the woods, head turning, listening to his surroundings. The look on his face was angry yet worried at the same time. He moved through the trees, searching for something. Someone, perhaps a man, passed behind him. They were there only a second. He turned but the man was gone. He said a name but no sound came from his mouth. He again moved through the woods. The wind was howling, as the trees bent to its will. The forest green and the sky gray as storm clouds moved overhead. Soon the rain started to fall. He moved through the woods again until he was standing in a small clearing, tall trees surrounding him. An older man appeared behind him, a gun in his hands. He raised the gun and pointed it at the young man. He said something, but still so sound was heard. The man dropped his weapon and put his hands up, eyeing the man with the gun. They spoke and only one word was heard…Stones Throw. The younger man frowned and yelled something to the older man. The younger went for his gun and then a shot was fired, the young man falling backward, blood spilling from his chest, and moments later from his mouth. He gasped for air but soon died his eyes only half lidded._

I shot awake. Gasping for air. I hated when they happened when I was asleep. They were more painful. My head was throbbing and I was drenched with sweat, my body shaking. The nightstand light switched on and he got out of bed, sitting next to me, embracing me. I leaned into him and put my hand on his arm as he cradled me in his arms.

"I'm so sick of this, John. I am so tired." I told him.

"I know." He said softly. "I know baby girl." He said and kissed my head.

He held me until I fell asleep again. When I woke up I was alone. I sat up and pulled my knees up against me. I ran my fingers though my hair and yawned. I slipped out of bed and went into the bathroom. I looked at myself in the mirror, my twenty-five years reflecting. I studied my face, it was oval shaped, nothing spectacular. I had hazel eyes with long wavy brown hair, again, nothing spectacular. It got it the way but I refused to cut it. I had an hourglass physique with a bit of baby fat. I wasn't overweight but I wasn't skinny either. I had something to hold on to. That's what Jim always said. I smiled at the thought of my fiancé. I closed my eyes and the dream went through my head, seeing it all over again from my memory. I turned on the cold water and splashed water on my face. I got into the shower and cleaned every inch of my skin. After the visions I always felt like they had taken a part of me. Showering made me feel like I got it back. I put on my usual jeans and t-shirt before going back into the main room. I was sick of living in hotels but I didn't have anywhere else to go. I grabbed my cell and dialed the overseas number that I dialed at least twice a day.

"Hey baby." I said when he answered the phone.

"Hey." He said happily.

"Jim, I miss you." I told him.

"Honey, what's wrong?" He asked concerned.

"I'm just lonely. Are you still coming home at the end of the month?" I asked him.

"Nothing could keep me here. We've gotta start planning that wedding." He told me. I could hear the smile in his voice.

I smiled. "It'll be the happiest day of my life."

"Mine too." He said. "But I can't talk long. I've gotta start making my rounds."

"Okay baby. I love you lots." I told him.

"Love you lots too honey." He said sweetly. "Talk to you soon."

"You bet. Bye."

I hung up the phone. As I put it on the nightstand the door opened and John came in with two large cups of coffee. He smiled and handed me one. I took a big drink and gave him a big hug as I thanked him. He had been very good to me. He showed up just after my visions started. He had deceived me in the beginning and I pushed him away for a long time before finally giving him a chance to talk and everything he told me turned out to be true. Ever since Jim was sent to Iraq for the war, life had been hard. I couldn't afford the apartment we had on my own so I ended up loosing it. I had to put all of our stuff in a huge storage locker, and paying for it took up the rest of my savings. John helped me with that. He helped me with a lot of things. He's the best friend I've got, a father figure, and I wouldn't have been able to make it without him. The town was still strange to me. We had just moved here when Jim had gotten his orders. It was hard but still, I was supportive of him. I made it for a short while with what we had but I couldn't find a job and what I got for him being in the service wasn't enough for all of the bills and payments we had.

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When my visions started I didn't know what they meant. I thought I was going crazy and the headaches were so bad. I'd see things that I had no idea what they were. People being hurt or killed. People screaming or committing suicide. I'd try and forget them but then a few days later I would see the person walking down the street or on the news. The things I saw would always come true. I made the connection but still didn't believe what was happening. The next day John showed up telling me he was here to check on me at Jim's request. He had a uniform on and everything. I confided in him. I told him everything that was going on. Everything except for the visions. He was very supportive throughout the following days. Stopping by to make sure everything was okay. Then he started to ask about my family. He asked simple questions about what my parents did and if I had any siblings. I answered his questions, telling him what they did and that I didn't have any siblings. Then he asked where they were. Being truthful I told him that they had died when I was very young. I hardly remembered them at all. He asked how old I was. His questions started to get to me. I didn't think he needed to know everything about me and I was starting to get uncomfortable. I asked him to leave but he kept coming back. He got even more curious about my family and me. His persistence paid off. I finally told him what he wanted to know. I had been three when the house had caught fire and burned down. My mother was killed in the fire and my dad died shortly after, I always said from a broken heart. John had gotten a sad expression on his face when I said that. I asked him about his family but he turned it back on me asking me more questions. 

He had been there nearly a month and I hadn't had any more visions. I thought it was over, whatever it was, but then I had the worst one I've ever had. It had been of a man getting eaten by something. I couldn't tell what it was but I knew where it was happening. I went there to stop whatever it was. John had followed me and had asked me what it was that I had seen. I wasn't going to tell him. I still thought that he was in the service, still there by Jim's request. But he didn't drop it so I told me. He wasn't shocked or disturbed by the news of my visions. He simply asked me exactly what I had seen. I told him and he told me to wait there and that he'd be back. He took off and when he returned his arm and chest was bleeding freely but the man I had seen in my head was there supporting him, barely a scratch on him. After that I asked John who he really was. It seemed to take hours for him to explain. He never knew Jim and he's never been in the service. I was shocked at his deception but at the same time he could explain what was happening. He could tell me why but also that there was no stopping it. It was hard to hear but at the same time I wanted to know what was going on. I pushed him away but in the end I couldn't do this on my own. My visions happened more often. I needed someone and he was there for me. He did more for me than anyone had ever done before. I didn't want to see him anymore but he came to me when I was moving everything out of the apartment and helped me. By the end of the day he was back on my good graces. He helped me financially with the payments that still needed to be made. I owed him so much. Now we traveled to wherever my visions took us. I had to be back in San Diego by the end of the month to get Jim but for now I had devoted my life to trying to help the people I saw things happening to. It was a lot and sometimes far too much. But John helped me deal with it. He held as many burdens as he could. His and mine.

"Thank you for everything." I told John as I let him go.

"It's nothing and you know it." He told me. "So where are we to next?" He asked me.

"I'm not sure." I told him. "He was in the woods. He got shot by an older man. There wasn't any sound in this one. Only two words. Stones Throw."

"Stones Throw?" John said and thought a moment, sitting in front of my laptop. "I'll have to look it up."

"Maybe I'll look it up." I smiled putting my hands on his shoulders. "Remember what happened the last time you tried to use my computer?"

"I got you a new one." He grinned and stood up. "Fine, Evy, you do it."

I typed it into a search engine. It brought up quite a few matches but the closest one was a town name in Minnesota. It looked to be in the middle of nowhere. We were currently in Wyoming; Minnesota would be at least a day's drive if we didn't stop. We packed up the few belongings we had and loaded up the truck. John's phone rang but he didn't answer it. That had been happening a lot lately.

"Is that the same person calling you?" I asked him.

"No." He replied.

"John, you can trust me." I told him.

"I know I can." He said and took my hand in his, kissing the top of it.

I smiled at him, allowing him to keep it to himself. We settled into the truck for the drive. It was long and I slept part of the way. There was little talking and I spent my time looking out the window.

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We stopped at a hotel for the night. John went for provisions and came back with Chinese food for dinner. I happily ate my share as he puttzed with notes that he had taken. I tried to convince him to take a break and eat but he kept telling me in a minute. I gave up and reached for my phone. I dialed Jim's number and soon his voice came on. 

"Hi honey." He said sweetly.

"How are you doing today?" I asked him.

"We lost a few men today. It's been hard." He replied.

"I'm sorry." I told him. "It makes me worry for you."

"No need to worry. You know I'm careful."

I smiled. "I know you are. I'm sorry about your men." I told him as consolingly as possible.

"It's alright." He said the cheeriness back in his voice.

We talked for nearly an hour before he finally had to go. The time difference itself was hard to work with and he needed to sleep. When I got off the phone John was watching me.

"What?" I smiled at him.

"Nothing." He replied.

"Liar." I told him. He just smiled at me. "I'm going to go for a walk." I told him.

"Be careful." He said and looked back at the papers that were scattered in front of him.

"You know I will be." I smiled and put my cell in my pocket.

I left the room. The sun was setting but the town was nice. It was still warm. South Dakota had proved to be a decent state. Plenty of stuff to do but almost nothing to see. I found a small trail in the back of the building leading into a small wood. It was lucky that there even were trees here. Most of the state was treeless. I walked as far as the sun would let me, turning around once it was a dim line on the horizon. I was only a few yards from the parking lot when a snapping in the woods stopped me. I turned in the direction of the noise but I didn't see anything. I kept moving, picking up my pace. I was nearly to the parking lot when I was grabbed from behind. I was lifted and thrown to the ground. I turned and looked into the face of the hotel owner.

"Mr. Larson what are you doing?" I screamed.

He got in my face and his eyes were yellow. My eyes grew wide as he grabbed my throat.

"I've been looking for you. Is John here?" He asked.

In a moment of bravery I glared at him and said, "I don't know who you're talking about."

He laughed and threw me again. I hit the ground hard. He grabbed me by the throat again and lifted me off of my feet. I could still breathe but he started to squeeze.

"Don't worry. I'll leave you in the office for him." He grinned evilly.

"You're so full of shit." I told him as I dropped one of my arms. "You won't kill me." He laughed.

"You're right. I won't kill you. Not yet." He grinned. "I have plans for you." He told me.

"Be that as it may, you need me." I lied. I just hoped it was convincing enough. I reached into my pocket and held down number two. "I've seen something that you're going to want to know about."

He faltered at the words. I heard running and then a shot was fired that went into Mr. Larson's head. He dropped me and took off through the woods. I looked up to see John running toward me.

"Evy!" He yelled.

"John!" I yelled getting to my feet.

I meant to run but I had a nice gash in my knee, preventing me from moving as fast as I wanted to. He met me halfway and I threw my arms around his neck. I didn't mean to cry but the tears came faster than I had wanted them to.

"It's all right. Everything's going to be okay." He said stroking the back of my head. "I've got you. Everything's going to be okay." He brought me back to the room and sat me down on the bed. "What happened?"

"I was on my way back and I was grabbed. It was Mr. Larson but his eyes were yellow and…" I stopped at John's reaction. "What is it?" I asked him.

"It's the demon I've been looking for." He told me.

"The one who can possess anyone?" I asked. He nodded. "The one that killed your wife and your son's girlfriend." I stated. He just looked at me. "I'm sorry." I told him.

"Don't be sorry. It almost got you too." He said and the look on his face made me want to cry. "It can't happen again." He said as he cleaned up my wounds.

"John, I'm okay." I told him, gently rubbing his cheek. "You saved me. I'm all right because of you. Thank you."

He smiled. "I wish everyone could say that who has met me."

"You are a good man." I told him.

"That's only because you see the good in everyone." He grinned.

"I didn't see the good in that thing tonight." I told him.

The smile left his face. "I'm just glad you're okay." He told me.

Just then the room started to spin and the familiar pain in my head started as the scene changed.

_A small town came into view. It panned out to show the entire town. There was a sign that read 'Welcome to Stones Throw'. Several people walked by. A middle-aged couple passed by, their backs facing me. I watched them and the man turned his head. It was the man from the woods. He glared at me. The picture jumped to a small gas station with beat up cars in the small lot. In moved through the station into a back room where a young man was tied to a chair. He was being beaten by a bald man, a whip in his hand. His back faced me keeping me from seeing who he was._

I opened my eyes and the vision was done. I looked at John who had a concerned look on his face.

"There's more to it." I told him. "Another young man is involved. I didn't see his face though."

"Tell me." He said and sat next to him.

I told him everything that I saw and it seemed that the situation had worsened. I still didn't know if what I was seeing was the past, the present, or the future. I couldn't sleep that night and John was just as awake as I was. I limped to my bag on the bed and started to pack.

"What are you doing?" He asked me.

"We might as well go. There's no reason for staying when neither of us are going to sleep." I replied.

"Evy, you need rest." He said walking up to me. He stopped me by putting a hand on my arm. "You've had a rough day."

"So have you." I told him and kept going.

In the end John packed up his own belongings and we were driving away from the hotel by midnight. The car ride was quiet. There wasn't a lot to say. After being on the road for a few hours I did manage to get a few hours of sleep. It made me feel better. I popped a few Ibuprofens to hopefully stop the throbbing in my knee. I had never been treated so poorly but I knew that it wouldn't be the last. My life had taken a drastic turn. Things that I wouldn't have ever thought of before, things I never knew existed had just become the center of my life. I was no longer just Evy Connors. I had turned into Evy Connors, a visionary and a fighter of evil. Even in my head that sounded ridiculous, yet not an hour later we were in the truck again. On our way to Stones Throw to save men we had never met before.

"Are you sure you're okay?" John asked me.

"Winchester, stop asking me that." I told him slightly annoyed.

"You only use my last name when you're angry with me." He smiled.

"Quit asking me if I'm okay." I told him. "It's you I'm worried about. If the demon is back than you have a lot to deal with."

"I can handle it."

"You think you can."

"I can." He told me sternly.

"You should call your son." I told him.

"No."

"Why not?" I asked him. We'd had this conversation before. "Your boys must be worried sick about you and you refuse to tell them that you're okay."

"They're better off not knowing where I am. It's safer for them." He replied.

"Yet I'm with you." I said looking at him.

"You need protection and I need your vision. Now that the demon came after you it's now even more important that you stay with me. If he strikes again…" He said and stopped staring out the windshield.

"I can take care of myself." I told him.

"You couldn't when he attacked you." John stated.

He was right. "I can learn." I told him.

"From me." He told me.

I sighed, knowing that I was not going to win this argument. "What about when Jim comes home? I'm getting married. I already have my dress. I can not keep doing this." I told him.

"You don't have a choice. Your visions will not stop. You have a responsibility to the people you see. You have the power to help people. If you stop the guilt alone from doing nothing will destroy you." He told me.

I looked at him and felt a twinge of pain. He had been through so much. I wanted to help but I wanted Jim. I wanted to make a family with him and to have a normal life. I knew it wasn't going to happen but in the back of my mind I wanted to make it work. Have my family and on the side help people. Make sure that they were saved. If I called John with my visions he could do the saving, I'd just do the seeing. I watched John as he drove and felt sorry for him. He lost his wife, had to teach his boys that what normal kids thought were their imagination were real and that they needed to be afraid. I felt sorry for his sons who had to grow up unlike any other, with guns and fighting skills to learn. I couldn't imagine what they had been through and now I was doing the same thing.

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We stopped at a rest stop on the way there and John got out of the truck. He came around and opened my door. 

"What are you doing?" I asked him.

"Get out of the truck." He told me sternly.

"What?"

"Out, now."

"John…" I said as I unbuckled my seatbelt. I got out and he slammed the door. "What's wrong?"

"You want to learn so let's learn." He told me.

"What are you talking about?" I asked him.

"I'm not going to be around forever and you need to learn. Have you ever shot a gun?" He asked.

"I do have skills John. I'm engaged to a Soldier." I told him.

"Show me." He said and tossed me a handgun.

There were handicap signs lining one side of the lot and I put a hole it the center of each of them. "There…" I said and tossed the gun back to him.

"Good." He said and before I knew it he had thrown a punch at me.

I ducked and blocked his next punch throwing my own that made contact with his cheek.

"What's wrong with you?" I yelled at him.

"Again." He said and threw another punch.

We kept at it until my lip was bleeding, my eye a little purple, and John's abdomen was bruised.

"I guess I underestimated you." John told me as we made our way back to the truck.

"I hate you." I told him.

"I know." He smiled putting his arm across my shoulders.

I smiled up at him and hugged him. We got back in the truck and drove the final hours to our destination. Soon we would hopefully find the men in my visions and save the day…again.


	2. Stones Throw

**Disclaimer: Nothing you recognize from Supernatural does not belong to me. But the people who created them are geniuses! Anyway, what you don't recognize is mine.**

**A/N: This chapter is a longer one and I don't know how people like it since no one has reviewed and maybe that's because they are so long. Or maybe it's because it's not very good. I don't know. I guess I like my writing but I'm a bit bias. Please review if you don't mind. Thank you!!!**

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**_**Chapter Two: Stones Throw**_

It was a quaint little town. There were only the necessary structures with a tiny worn down strip mall, a library, a police and fire station, and the gas station from my vision. We got out and looked around. There were small houses along several streets but it looked disserted. I pointed at the gas station and John nodded. I saw the gun as he adjusted his jacket. I followed him around the station and to the back. There was a back door and it was open. John's tension disappeared. We stepped inside to find it full of supplies. No man tied to a chair. We were either too late or early enough to stop it.

"Now what?" I asked John. "I don't know who we're looking for."

"We know he's young with brown hair. I guess we look for the young people hang out." He told me.

I raised an eyebrow and shrugged. We made our way around the town. The mall was horribly small with only five stores inside of it. It was practically empty but there were a few workers and they told us that a nearby park was popular with the kids. We thanked them and made our way to the park. Sure enough there were about a dozen teens sitting around a picnic table and on the swings. We stood back and watched them for a while. I studied each of the young men trying to fit them with the men in my vision but none of them matched what I saw. A few were too heavy and none of their hair looked like the either of the men. I was discouraged and John simply winked and smiled at me before walking up to them. I followed as he started to ask a series of questions. I walked up to two men on the swings.

"Hi." I smiled at them.

"Hi." One smiled flirtingly and the other just smiled. "What can I do for you?" He said standing up with a boyish grin on his face.

I smiled back annoyed. "I was wondering if you could help me with something. I'm looking for someone. He's tall with brown hair. It's kinda long." I said trying to piece together the man in my vision. "He might be wearing a shirt with vertical strips." I told them.

"I don't think we can help." The nicer of the two told me.

"I could be him if you'd like." The jerk told me.

I grinned at him. "No, that's alright." I told him, annoyed. "How about a man with light brown hair, spiked, black leather jacket?" I asked.

"I'm sorry. I haven't seen anyone like that." The nicer of the two replied. "We don't get a lot of visitors out here."

"I see." I smiled at him. "Thank you."

"Stick around for a while." The jerk said putting his hands on my side.

I let him leave his hands there as I laughed. I stopped laughing and stepped on his foot as hard as I could and elbowed him in the face. I turned and watched him fall to the ground, holding his bloody nose. I thanked the other boy again and walked away. John finished his questions as I walked past him.

"That was a waste of time." I told him as we got back into the truck.

"Yeah." He said sounding disappointed.

"We have time." I told him. "From the looks of the back room, it hasn't happened yet."

He just looked straight ahead. "But that doesn't mean it won't happen soon."

He started the trucks engine and drove off. It was clear that he was upset. I didn't want to deepen his anger by saying anything.

"Something one of the girls said is bothering me." He told me, breaking the silence.

"What?" I asked.

"There have been attacks in the forest. People missing, only blood and ripped up camp sites. Sound familiar?" He asked and looked at me.

"Windego." I told him flatly.

He nodded. We went to the nearest camping sites and talked to a few of the guides. They all had the same story. They'd get the people to the camp sites down a series of well used trails and then make sure that they knew the way back, outlining the trail on the maps. It all sounded concrete. We went to a few of the sites but whatever had been there was gone now. At one point John got an odd expression on his face and suggested we get back to town. I agreed, not knowing what else to do. I followed his lead; if he wanted to go I was right behind him.

"Now what?" I asked him. "I haven't gotten any other visions. I don't know where else to look."

"We park by the station. Whatever's going to happen is going to happen there."

"Only part of it. One is in major trouble in the woods." I told him.

He nodded and we drove back to town. We parked by the station and waited…and waited. Once the sun set we headed to the single motel in the area. There were very few rooms and most looked unoccupied. We went in and I fell back on the one double bed in the room. I looked at John and he just grinned and winked. I laughed. He may have been old enough to be my father but he was still damn attractive and the best friend I've got. He used the facilities and then fell back on the bed next to me. I turned my head toward him and he was looking at me. I smiled but his look was more mournful than anything.

"What is it?" I frowned.

"It's nothing." He said looking forward before closing his eyes.

"John, I know you way better than that." I told him. "You don't have to tell me anything I just don't want you to lie to me."

"Got it." He said without looking at me.

I shook my head and got up. "I'm going for a walk." I told him.

He sat up and grabbed my wrist. "I don't think so." He said looking me in my eyes.

"I'll be fine." I told him.

"You don't know this thing. It could be out there waiting for you." He told me.

I sat down next to him and put my arm over his shoulder. "Look, I love that you care so much but I need to get out. I need to see the town and see if anything comes to me. Maybe I'll get another vision. Sitting here isn't helping anyone. Not me, not you. I'll have my cell." I said and kissed his cheek before grabbing a sweatshirt and leaving.

Once I closed the door behind me I took a deep breath, trying to calm the nerves that had kicked in. I wasn't afraid per say but what happened had shaken me enough to be leery of everything.

I walked from the motel to the gas station. It was empty. I waited inside for a short period of time but no one came. I walked back to the park to find it empty. I sat on a swing and thought as I gently swung myself. As time went on and no one came or even walked by, I got a weird feeling in my gut. I stood up and briskly walked back to the motel. I opened the door and John was pinning things up on the wall and looking at them.

"Hey." He said over his shoulder.

"Something weird is going on." I told him.

"I know." He said softly.

"The town is disserted. I didn't see one person out there."

"Evy…" He said and looked at me. I just looked back at him. "Don't leave this room without me."

"You're worried. More than usual." I told him.

He rubbed the back of his head and sighed as he turned toward me. "It just doesn't make any sense. Your visions have shown us one thing but it seems something else is going on here." He told me and sat on the bed. I sat next to him. I took his hand in mine and gently caressed it. He smiled and kissed the top of my hand. "Thank you." I smiled back at him.

We pondered our situation for a few more hours before heading to bed. I laid down and when John got in he lay facing me. I turned on my side and faced him. He gently caressed my cheek. He smiled sweetly. I closed my eyes and let his touch help me get to sleep. I was almost there when my phone vibrated and Jim's ring tone started to sing. I shot up and grabbed the phone answering it.

"Hey Jim."

"I miss you Evy." His voice told me through the phone.

"Is everything okay?" I asked him.

"Things are getting bad over here." He replied. The tone in his voice uncertain and almost afraid.

"Jim, you're scaring me." I told him.

"Don't worry about me baby. You know I'm careful. I just wanted to tell you that I love you. So much. You're the best thing that ever happened to me."

"Jim, this is not goodbye." I told him angrily, my stomach turning, the conversation was too serious too fast.

"I know."

"Than stop making it sound like it is." I replied.

"I just don't want to regret not saying it." He told me.

"I love you too." I told him trying not to cry.

"I better go. I'll call you soon." He told me.

"I love you Jim." I told him again.

"Love you too baby." He said and hung up the phone.

"Is everything okay?" John asked me.

"No." I told him and put down the phone.

I fell back onto the bed on my stomach. John pulled the covers over me and kissed my forehead.

"I'm worried." I told him.

"About Jim?" He asked.

"About everything." I told him. Tears sprung to my eyes. "I'm sorry." I said and laughed, wiping them away.

"Don't be sorry." He told me. "Get some sleep."

I nodded and shut my eyes. I felt the back of his hand touch my face and he gently caressed my cheek until I was asleep. When I woke up he was gone and a note was taped to the bathroom mirror when I walked into the room. He had gone out to get breakfast and coffee. I didn't know how long he had been gone but I knew he wasn't just out to get food and drink. He was working and he was leaving me out of it. I showered and got ready for the day and he still wasn't back yet. I sat on the bed and watched Wheel of Fortune on the TV and when John still wasn't back I started to get a little worried. I opened the door and stepped out. I didn't want to wander far but if he were nearby than I hoped I would see him. I was just looking around when I noticed a black Impala parked a few rooms down. Jim had a red one that looked exactly like it. He loved that car. I would be happy to take it out into the country with him again. I walked over to it and ran my hand across it smiling. I had watched Jim resurrect his car from the grave and this one was looking pretty good. I was still admiring it, thinking of Jim when someone grabbed my shoulder. I gasped and spun around.

"John, good God, you scared the shit out of me." I told him. "Isn't this a great car?" I grinned turning back to the Impala. "Jim has one just like it."

"Come on." He said taking my arm.

He seemed agitated. "What's wrong?" I asked him. He led me back into the room. "Where have you been?"

"I asked you not to leave the room without me." He told me angrily.

"John, calm down." I told him. "What is it?" I asked him, taking his arm.

"There was a windego in the area. It was killed." He told me.

"How?" I asked. "Luck?"

"I don't think so. My son has an Impala just like that." He told me.

"Then let's go see him." I told him. "Maybe he can help us."

"No." He said flatly.

"John…" I said frowning at him. "Why would you not want to see your son?"

"I am trying to protect him, both of them. You know that." He said.

"He's just two rooms away and you don't want to see him. I just don't understand. Why are you so worried for them?"

"You know why. You experienced it." He told me.

I looked at him for a moment before it dawned on me. "The demon…" I said and thought a moment. "Wait, you're all worried for your sons so you keep your distance but I'm here, I've been attacked by the demon and you're still here? I know you're worried about me but I…" I said and shrugged.

"I'm more than worried about you. Why do you think I left you here? Why do you think I don't want you to leave here without me? I am terrified that something is going to happen to you, but with my son here, one or both of them, the demon will look at it as it's chance and that would mean death for all of us, including you. I _won't _let that happen." He told me. "I have to find it and kill it. Initially I was hoping that you would see it and tell me where it is but I've grown to know you and to care for you and now I'm just worried that you're going to die because I think it's after you."

"What?" I asked him.

He sighed, knowing he'd said too much. "I've been tracking this demon for twenty-two years. I'm nearly positive that it's after people with visions. People like you." He told me. "I didn't want to say anything but now I feel like I have to. Ever since it attacked you I can't stop thinking that I can't save you."

"John." I said calmly. "I am going to be fine. I don't care if it's after me or not. Since I've met you a lot of things have been after me."

"This is different." He told me.

"So what if it's different. You told me that my visions aren't going to stop and that I have the power to help people. You convinced me to help. To embrace my gift. I'm going to keep doing that. I have you looking out for me and I have my own common sense and what I see helps me. I'm going to be fine, and if I do die I'll know that I've done what I can to help and that I died trying to do what's right. I'm good." I told him and smiled.

He just looked at me. Sadness in his eyes. He pulled me against him, hugging me tight. "I kinda love you, you know that?"

"Yeah. I love you too." I smiled, resting my head on his chest. "Now let's go meet your son." I told him standing up.

"I can't face him. Not after distancing myself from him like I have."

"I'm sure he'll understand." I told him. He shook his head. I was going to protest but the familiar throb in my head started and I sat on the bed, gripping John's arms as he knelt in front of me.

_The main street of Stones Throw was in front of me. John ran into the picture yelling my name. He turned around and the fear on his face was clear. He continued to yell my name. There was an explosion in the gas station and me and a young man ran from the building. John grabbed me and the three of us ran from the flames. We stopped and John pulled me against him. Then he looked to the young man and put his hand on his face, calling him Sammy._

I blinked and I was back in the motel room. I looked at John and took a deep breath.

"That bad huh?" He asked.

"No, actually it was a good thing." I told him.

"Tell me."

"Who's Sammy?" I asked him. He got a blank expression on his face. "It's Sam. I think it was Sam. You call him Sammy. He was the man in the gas station. I saved him. I don't know where you were but you were yelling my name and Sam and I came running from the gas station right before it blew up. You called him Sammy. That's all there was." I told him. "Now we have to go talk to them."

"No, ah…I'll call Dean and tell him."

"This is ridiculous." I told him and opened the door. John was right behind me until I went down to the room the Impala was in front of and knocked on the door. "Sam?" I called.

The door opened and the man from my first vision was standing in front of me. He was more attractive in person. His hair was unkempt from sleep, his hazel green eyes, made goosebumps form on my skin. He had a tighter black shirt on and I could easily see his nice formed chest and abs. His biceps made the sleeves tight against his skin.

"It's you." I said softly.

"Hi." He smiled boyishly.

I blinked and tried to concentrate on why I was here. "You're Dean, aren't you?" I asked him.

"Yeah, how'd you know?" He asked.

"Where's Sam?" I asked him.

"Hi." Another young man said coming up behind his brother. He had longer hair and was almost as attractive as Dean. He was muscular but thinner and was clearly the smarter of the two. He had enchanting blue eyes. "Is everything okay?" He asked.

"Hi, my name is Evy Connors. I really need to talk to you." I told him.

"You can talk to me." Dean grinned.

"I need to talk to Sam." I told him with a sweet smile, not wanting to be rude.

"Dean, just move." He told his brother.

"Oh come on." Dean said smiling at me.

"I guess you don't understand subtlety." I told him. "I do not want to talk to you I want to talk to your brother."

"Dean…" I turned to see John standing near us.

Both boys had a look of shock on their faces as they looked at their father.

"Evy, talk to Sam. Dean, come with me." John said and put his arm out toward his son.

Dean went up to John and hugged him. John hugged him tight and winked at Sam before taking the elder brother away. I looked at Sam but his eyes still lingered on his father. I watched him for a moment, letting it all sink in.

"Come on. Let's walk." I told him.

He nodded and followed me. "What's this about? How do you know my dad?"

I took a deep breath. "Your dad found me. I have visions, premonitions if you will. He's been helping me. But that's not important right now. What's important is that I saw something about you. Only I found that out just minutes ago. We came here to stop it from happening. I know only bits and pieces but enough to know that you're in trouble. There's this man here that I saw in the woods. He's going to kill Dean. I saw him die in the woods. I think he was trying to save you. I saw you being beaten in the back room of the gas station." I explained. "A bald man was beating you. You were tied to a chair." I told him. "But I also know that we get you out. I saw me and you running from the station right before it blew up. John was out in the street yelling my name. But we got you out. But I haven't seen any more about Dean. I'm assuming that's still in motion. He's going to die unless we do something about it. I think the man who kills him knows where you are and they argue about it and then I think he gives Dean bad news. Like you're already dead. He tries to kill the man but he doesn't have enough time and he gets shot. It happens fast. All I know is that we need to keep you safe." I finished. "I think it starts with you."

He just looked straight ahead and I could tell he was thinking about it. It was a lot to process in only a short amount of time.

"I don't know when it's supposed to happen but now that I know it's you and that you're here I can only assume that it's going to happen soon." I told him.

"Um…" He said and let out a little laugh, looking at me. "Visions…" He said trying to wrap his head about it all.

"Yeah. What are you doing here?" I asked him. "Your dad said he thought there had been a windego in the area."

"Yeah, that's why we were here. They're known to be in Minnesota and Wisconsin. We heard of the attacks and then came to find it. We killed it just last night."

"They can't be controlled or anything, can they?" I asked. "People can't feed them can they? I know some towns give sacrifices to the demons for good crops and stuff like that. Can you do anything like that with a windego?"

He thought a moment. "Not that I can think of." He replied.

"I just don't know why this one man would want to harm you two. He doesn't look demonic but there has to be some reason."

"And you haven't seen him around town at all?" Sam asked me.

I shook my head. "No. I don't know when he comes or what he has against you but it's something and he's after you and your brother. We have to do something." I told him.

We talked for a while longer before finding John and Dean in the park. Sam smiled politely at me before he moved ahead of me quickly and took a seat next to his dad. John looked so happy even though I knew he was worried about them. I stayed back and in the end decided to head back to the room. They deserved a bit of catch up time and I didn't want to interrupt or be in the way. I was nearly to the room when everything started to shake as another vision hit me.

_I saw the parking lot of the motel. I saw myself walk into the picture, face beaten, wrists bruised and bleeding. I was breathing hard, like I'd been running. The room door to John's and my room was ajar. I ran to it, pushing it open. John was lying on the floor. I ran to him and turned him into my arms. The side of his head was bleeding but he seemed alright otherwise. A shadow appeared in the doorway and an angry expression appeared on my face. One I had never thought I could make._

I blinked and the vision was done. I was leaning against a tree, breathing hard. Knowing that I couldn't keep this to myself I turned back toward the men. John would want to know. I walked up to them and they were all smiling, enjoying being together again. They all looked at me when I walked up.

"Evy Connors, the visionary." Dean grinned at me.

John gave me a somewhat apologetic smile. "She's more than that Dean." He told his son. "She's the girl who's going to save your ass." He grinned.

"Don't thank me just yet." I said sitting on top of the table in between John and Sam. "We're in trouble." I told John.

"You saw something?" He asked. I nodded. "Tell me."

I told him and they all just looked at me. "This is going to happen and it's going to happen soon. Very soon. The clock on the nightstand read eight thirty. The sun would be just setting making the shadow I saw very possible. It may even be tonight." I told him.

"What?" Dean grinned. "Are you serious? How do we even know that these visions are real? Maybe you're just delusional."

"Dean…" Sam told his brother with an angry undertone.

"It's fine." I told Sam. "But thank you." I said and looked at Dean. "I'm going to let this slide this time but when I'm saving your ass I expect an apology afterward." I told him flatly. "Come on John." I said and got up. John did the same.

"Dad, wait." Dean said getting up.

"We're all going to the same place Dean. Come on." John said and followed me.

"Your son needs an attitude adjustment." I told my friend.

"Nah, he's just pissed at me and probably hates you for having been with me." He told me.

I laughed and smiled up at him. "You made that sound dirty."

"Don't tell Jim." He whispered in my ear.

I laughed as we walked through the parking lot. I stopped and looked around. John stopped and watched me. I looked in the direction from where it looked like I was coming from. The gas station was in the opposite direction so I was taken somewhere else. When I was done the four of us went into John's and my room. I threw my sweatshirt onto the bed and sat down. Dean and Sam took the chairs at the small table. John sat next to me. I moved back and leaned against the headboard. I watched the unease between the small family in front of me.

"One bed huh?" Dean said looking around the room. "That's just wrong dad." He said looking at his father.

John grinned and gave a short laugh. "I'm not that lucky."

I just shook my head at him. My phone rang and I grabbed it seeing Jim's picture appear in the window. I got up and grabbed the phone.

"Hey baby." I smiled answering it.

"Guess what I'm eating right now?" My fiancé smiled through the phone.

"My guess is that you've got yourself a big bowl of ice cream in your hands." I grinned.

"You bet your bottoms baby." He said and laughed. I love his laugh. "We went through this larger city and we found a freezer that was working, full of ice cream." He told me.

"That's good. You're there to fight the bad guys and you raid their fridge." I said and laughed.

"Only if you look at it like that." He told me.

I went outside and sat on the bench that was near our room. I felt John's eyes on me. Just like they always were, ever watching. He was paranoid and before I would think far to paranoid but now I knew that it was more precautionary than anything.

When I got off the phone I sat and thought about him for a while. Missing Jim. When I went back into the room Dean had taken my spot on the bed. I sat in the chair next to Sam. He smiled at me. I smiled back and looked at John. This was a little weird and I was slightly uncomfortable.

"So, you're engaged huh?" Sam asked. I nodded. "Was that him?"

I smiled at him. "Yup, that was Jim." I told him. "He'll be back by the end of the month. Then the wedding is in the spring. You should come." I told him. "It'll be fun."

"Sure." Sam smiled.

"Don't I get an invitation?" Dean said from the bed.

"No." I said my tone suddenly cold. Sam grinned at me. "I'm beat guys. What do you say we crash?" I said standing up. "There is nothing we can do tonight anymore." I told them. John and Sam stood up ready to say goodnight but Dean stayed on the bed. That means you have to get off of the bed." I grinned at Dean.

John just looked between us and Dean rolled his eyes as he got off of the bed. John and Dean walked outside and were talking. Sam and I were standing there shifting our feet.

"Sam, I just have to say that I'm sorry about Jess." I told him.

"Thanks." He said. I knew he'd heard it a thousand times. "And I hope Jim makes it back safe."

"Thanks." I said and the uncomfortable silence filled the room. "You any good with computers?" I asked him.

"I like to think so." He smiled.

"My laptop has been acting a little weird and since we have a minute would you mind taking a look at it?"

"Have you downloaded anything?" He asked as I handed him my computer.

"I haven't but your dad on occasion likes to mess with it. He already wrecked one and had to buy me another one." I told him looking over his shoulder.

Sam laughed. "And they wonder why I went to college." He smiled.

I laughed. "Tell me about it."

"Did you go to college?" He asked.

"Yes I did." I told him. "I went for painting but I don't really do that much anymore."

"Why not?" Sam asked.

"No supplies and I'm never anywhere very long. Your dad and I move around a lot. I call San Diego home and hopefully when Jim gets back I'll be able to live there again but right now it's your dad's truck." I told him.

"Yeah, Dean's car is home now." Sam told me.

"Must be nice to be away from him for a while. I'd think you'd need a break." I told him.

"He's not that bad, really." He grinned up at me. "He's just Dean."

"Just Dean…" I said and shook my head. "They've been out there for a while. Maybe you should crash here and your dad and brother can talk all night if they want to." I told him.

"There…" He said and my computer rebooted perfectly with everything intact.

"You're awesome." I said squeezing his shoulders.

"Sometimes." He smiled up at me. "And I think switching rooms would be a nice change." He told me.

"Good." I said and walked to the door. John and Dean were only a few yards away. I yelled to them that they could just crash in the other room and went back inside, locking the door. Sam striped down to his boxers. I walked past him and into the bathroom to change. "You were going for a lawyer right?" I asked him as I brushed my teeth.

"Yeah, but then Dean made a surprise visit and…you know the rest." He said with a small smile.

I gave him a sympathetic smile and nodded. I went back into the bathroom. I finished my nightly ritual and climbed into the one bed. For a moment I thought it might be weird but I fell asleep easily without another thought about it. I was more comfortable with these men than I had thought I would be. Maybe it was because of John, knowing that these were his boys.

My sleep was peaceful, the first time in a long time. I knew who I was supposed to save and now that I knew that it was not only John's sons' but hunters themselves. It made me feel like this one was stoppable. This one was one that I could handle. I felt like I could keep them safe.

All of that changed halfway through the night. There was a bang on the door that woke Sam and me. I looked at him and he quietly got out of the bed. We listened and the sound didn't come again. I looked at him and calmed down, taking a deep breath. He didn't seem convinced. He pulled on his clothes and grabbed his gun, readying it to shoot. I got out of bed and quickly changed into my normal clothes. It made me nervous that he was nervous. I grabbed the knife I carried and attached it to the back of my pants. Sam slowly moved to the door, me right behind him. I had my thumb on number two on my cell, ready to call John if I needed to. We were nearly to the window to look outside when the door burst open, sending both of us to the ground. Sam put his arm across me, shielding me from the man that entered the room.

"It's him." I whispered.

Sam looked at me and then faced the man, ready to fight. The man laughed and another man appeared behind the first. It was the bald man that I had seen in my vision. My eyes grew wide as the man went for Sam. Sam tried to fight back but he was tossed against the wall and knocked unconscious. I tried to fight, to run, but I didn't get out of the room. I started to scream for John but my ankle was grabbed and I was pulled toward the man. I didn't have time to scream before I was hit over the head and everything went black.


	3. Survival

**Disclaimer: It always stays the same. You know what it is.**

**A/N: Thank you SO much for the reviews. I really appreciate it. It sounds like people like the story. If not I can take any constructive criticism that anyone wants to give. So here we go with Chapter Three.**

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* * *

**_**Chapter Three: Survival**_

When I opened my eyes I lifted my head and felt pain rush through my body. I let a low yell escape me as the blood returned to my arms. I had been leaning forward and the strain on my arms caused them to fall asleep. My fingers tingled as they came back to life. I looked around and I was in a small shack. The walls were covered with blades of various variety as well as ropes and an occasional whip. I felt my heart start to race and I closed my eyes again taking deep breathes, trying to calm down. My wrists were painful and I remembered what I had seen in my vision. My head was throbbing. Everything else still felt normal, telling me that the worst was yet to come. I tried to free my wrists but there was no pulling them through the ropes that bound them. My legs were free but I couldn't foresee that as an advantage. I was trying to force my mind to stop thinking about what was to come when the door creaked open and the man who I saw kill Dean stepped inside.

"Ah, she wakes." He grinned, and then laughed evilly.

"Who the hell are you?" I asked him angrily.

He laughed again. "Why would I tell you anything?" He laughed. "On the off chance that you live through this, I can't have you opening your pretty little mouth." He said pulling a knife from his pocket.

Then I remembered my own knife. I strained my fingers enough to feel for the sheath but felt panic start to seep into me when I realized that it was empty. "You are not going to get away with this. Where's Sam?" I asked him.

He laughed again. "He's no longer your concern." He told me, his tone turning low and dangerous.

"Where is he!?" I screamed at him.

He back handed me, hard. I tasted blood and licked it from my split lip. My vision appeared in my head again and I knew that this was only the beginning. It didn't take long for the rest to follow.

* * *

I chocked on my blood as the man took a step back wiping my blood off of his hands. He didn't say a word as he beat me. He just laughed occasionally and every once in a while looked so angry that the feeling radiated off of him. He had used the knife as well as the whip. I couldn't imagine what lie underneath my clothes. After he fed his fancy with the two he moved on to his fists. They were the worst, but I took it and made as little noise as possible, not wanting to feed his fury by screaming out. I leaned forward and let the blood pour from my mouth. He hadn't stopped at my face but beat my abdomen as well. I had to breathe in short gasps as to keep the pain to a minimum. When he finally backed away from me he looked like his anger was gone and he was almost happy.

"Why are you doing this?" I asked, barely above a whisper. Unable to speak any louder.

"Those two boys of yours took everything from me. My wife is dead, as well as my only son." He told me.

"What do they have to do with it?" I asked him.

"They were there just days before it happened. Ranting and raving about us being in danger." He said still cleaning his hands.

"Than maybe you should have listened." I told him. He hit me again. Everything went fuzzy as a vision came to me.

_The man was working on a car with his son. His wife was in the kitchen cooking dinner. The images moved forward, often stopping and moving in slow motion, showing me the happiness of this family. They were happy. As happy as a family could be. The images continued to flow in front of me as if I were there. Then the fire started to burn. His wife screamed his name, Michael, but it was no use. His son had gone in to save his mother and both were killed as the house went up in flames. A neighbor held Michael back as the house fell or the whole family would have lost their lives. I felt his pain and agony as if it were my own._

I gasped for air as I came back to the present. Michael was looking at me with a bewildered look on his face. I stared at him and was no longer angry at him. I pitied him.

"Michael…" I said softly.

His face grew angry. "How do you know my name?"

"I'm sorry about the fire. I'm sorry about your family." I told him sympathetically.

His expression turned blank and he backhanded me hard enough to tip me over, knocking me unconscious.

* * *

When I opened my eyes the room was empty. The sun shinning through the one small window. I tried to get myself up but I couldn't. I fought with the ropes some more before focusing on just getting up. I was weak but I managed to roll onto my knees, hoisting the chair onto my back. It was heavy and it took a few tries before I accomplished my task. Once it was balanced on my back I stood up and went to the walls. There were several blades but no matter how I tried there was no way to position myself well enough to cut the ropes. There was a center beam and I walked over to it. I took a moment to build up the remainder of my strength and I swung the chair as fast and hard as I could, slamming it against the beam. The chair shattered, wood splinters going into my body. This time I screamed. My shoulder felt like it had dislocated. I pulled the wood pieces out and made my way to the door. It opened without any effort and I slowly moved through it and up against the wall, making sure that I was the only one there. I was somewhere just outside of the town. I could see the church's cross above the trees. Sam was at the gas station. I needed to get there. I didn't have my cell leaving me no way to contact the boys' or John. I started to run through the woods, hoping that I would run into Dean and Michael. I had to save both of them. I wouldn't be able to stand it if I was too late. The thought alone made me run faster. I didn't see a soul before I reached the town. It still seemed deserted. The motel was just a block away and I took off toward it. Just like I had seen the door to the room was slightly ajar. I ran inside and John was on the floor.

"John…" I said running to him. I rolled him into my arms. "John…" I said as tears filled my eyes. The side of his head was bleeding. I ran my fingers through his hair. "John wake up. I need your help." I said and put my face against his. He was still breathing.

The shadow appeared in the door and I turned to see the bald man standing there. The same man who I had seen beat Sam. A rush of anger went through me and I gently laid John back on the floor. I stood up and grabbed the lamp throwing it at the man. He laughed and dodged it. He came at me and I backed up as far as I could but there was nothing I could do. He grabbed me and he threw me across the room. My landing was softened by the bed but the fall against the wall made my head spin. I was grabbed again. He held me against him, his arm across my throat. I tried to fight but in the end gave in, the need for air overpowering my adrenalin to get away.

He drug me from the room. I managed one last glance at John before I was pulled away from the room and down the road. He held my arm behind my back, any more forceful and he would break it. The pain alone kept me moving. Soon we were at the gas station. He stopped outside and bound my wrists together behind my back. My hurt shoulder pulsated with pain and my head got all fuzzy. He shoved me through the door and I stumbled, falling to the floor.

"Evy…"

I looked up to see Sam. "Sam…" I said and got to my knees. He looked to be in worse shape than me. His eye was swollen and there were several slashes on his body with blood still oozing from them. I was going to move toward him but a large blade fell on my shoulder.

"I don't think so missy." The man said.

I closed my eyes and clenched my jaw. This was not turning out how I had hoped. I had no idea how much time I had but I didn't want to risk running out of it. I looked up at Sam and he just looked back. I rolled to my side and swung my leg out taking the legs out from under the man. He fell and the blade slid across the floor. Sam kicked the man in the face, knocking him out. I looked up at him with relief.

"Are you okay?" He asked me.

I laughed. "Are you?" I replied.

He just smiled at me. I walked over to the blade and laid down in order to pick it up. I turned the blade and cut my ropes. I quickly moved to Sam and cut the ropes. He had to lean on me in order to stand. I yelled as he grabbed my shoulder. He frowned and looked at me. I just shrugged my good shoulder.

"What happened?" He asked me.

"A lot of things." I told him. "But I think it's dislocated."

"Here…" He said and took my arm and shoulder in his hands. "Try and stay still."

The next thing I knew he popped my shoulder back into place. I yelled but it already felt better once the initial shock of it was over.

"Thank you." I told him.

"You're welcome." He said and smiled.

I felt tears come to my eyes and I threw my arms around his neck. I cried into his neck, squeezing him tight. He held me just as tight and I took a moment to let some of it out. When I got control of myself I let him go and wiped the tears from my eyes.

"I'm sorry." I told him.

"It's okay." He said and wiped the final tear from my cheek.

I looked up at him and smiled. "Let's get out of here." I told him.

He took my hand. I had barely taken a step when my foot was grabbed and I fell to the ground on my stomach. I was pulled away from Sam and the bald man grabbed my arm and turned me over. Sam ran toward us but he grabbed my throat and lifted me off of the floor. Sam stopped and could only watch. The bald man laughed as he fumbled with the shelves till he found what he was looking for. He poured the gasoline all over the room before tossing the container aside. He laughed and threw me across the room. I hit the shelves and several fell on top of me after I hit the floor. Sam went at the man and they fought for several minutes as I struggled to free myself. In the end Sam prevailed but was barely able to stay on his feet. I managed to pull myself out and went to Sam, having him lean against me.

"What I saw was a fire. This place is going to blow." I told him.

"Maybe not. Maybe we changed the future." He smiled at me.

"Let's go." I said and helped him out of the building. I could hear my name being called. "John…" I said and moved faster. We rounded the corner and I could see John running toward us. "John!" I yelled so happy to see him.

Sam took his arm from around me and nodded at me with a small smile. I mouthed 'Thank you' to him before running toward John. I ran as fast as I could toward John and threw my arms around his neck. He hugged me so tight. I could hardly breathe but it felt so good. I started to cry and he put his hand on the back of my head. When I let him go he put his hands on my face, wiping the hair and tears from my face.

"Are you okay?" He asked. I nodded. "Good." He said and kissed my forehead. "Sammy…" He said as he walked up to him. He hugged his son. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah." Sam said nodding.

"We're running out of time." I told them.

"Where's Dean?" Sam asked him.

"I don't know. I heard Evy yell but by the time Dean and I got there both of you were gone. There was a bald man and he came at us. We fought but I got knocked out. I don't know where Dean is."

"Then he's in the woods." I told them.

I took off toward the motel. There was a path behind them and I didn't know where else to start. There was so much adrenaline in my system that for the meantime I forgot my injuries and ran as fast as I could. I went through the trees pulling away from Sam and John. I hoped that they had stopped so Sam could catch his breath. He was in worse shape than me. I stopped and looked around me. Tears coming to my eyes out of frustration and fear for Dean. I wouldn't forgive myself if I lost him. John wouldn't forgive me.

I kept running trying to spot anything familiar. Anything that would help me find him. The storm was coming. The wind was starting to pick up. Now I was certain that time was running out. Dean would already be with Michael and soon he would die. I ran faster and then something caught my eye. They were still a ways off and I took off through the woods, praying that I would make it in time. I was closing in. Dean was standing with his hands up. Michael had the gun on him. I heard Michael tell him that Sam, John, and I were already dead. I saw Dean start to go for the gun. With a burst of speed I made it just in time for the gun to go off. Pain ripped through my side and I fell to the ground.

"Evy!" Dean said crawling over me.

I had knocked him out of the way as the gun went off. I groaned and rolled onto my hands and knees. Dean helped me up, keeping me steady. "Michael, drop the gun." I told him. An odd sensation was going through me. "Please…"

"I…" He said.

"I know you don't want to do this." I told him. "This is not the answer. I know you're hurting and that you miss your family but this is not the way to remember them. Killing him or his brother will not bring them back. Only your memories can keep them alive. What would your wife say if she knew you were doing this?" I asked him.

"I…" He said but nothing came out.

"Drop the gun Michael. I'll get you some help." I told him.

"I'm sorry." He said with tears in his eyes. "I'm so very sorry." He then put the gun to his temple and pulled the trigger.

"No!" I yelled but it was far too late. "Damn it!" I yelled and fell to my knees. "Ah!" I yelled as the pain started to become unbearable.

The odd sensation grew and I fell forward onto one hand, holding my side with the other. I felt sick and soon vomited up a large amount of blood. I closed my eyes wishing the feeling away. I vomited twice more before falling over onto my back. My head was spinning and I was shaking uncontrollably. Dean was saying something to me. Looking down at me, holding my hand, and running his fingers through my hair. Soon Sam and John appeared but I stared straight up into the trees still not hearing what they were saying. I lifted my hand and there was blood covering it. My breathing was the only thing I could hear. I closed my eyes trying to focus. The last thing I remembered was being lifted off of the ground.

* * *

I woke up to the sound of beeping monitors. I frowned and opened my eyes. John was asleep with his head on the bed. He was the only one there. My mind moved to Sam. I hoped that he was okay. I shifted my body to have pain seer through it. The movement woke up John and he looked at me.

"Hey…" He smiled.

"Hi." I smiled back at him.

"How are you feeling?" He asked me.

"First, could you fill in the blanks after the woods?" I replied.

"Um…" He said and paused. "You scared me." He told me. His eyes became glossy and tears came to my eyes. "You weren't breathing." He said and paused. I watched him. "Dean brought you back in the back seat of the car as we drove to the nearest hospital. It wasn't very close." He said trying to make the situation light. I frowned at him. His face straightened. "Anyway, we got you here and they rushed you into surgery. You had massive internal bleeding from the gun shot wound and several injuries from the beating you took. You've been asleep for three days." He finished.

"And you've been here." I stated.

He smiled. "I've been here."

"Sam…Dean?" I asked.

"Sam is a few rooms down. He had to get several stitches but over all he's going to be fine. Dean wasn't hurt. He'll be okay."

"You're head's okay?" I asked touching the small bandage on his head.

"I'll be fine." He smiled taking my hand in his.

Soon the doctor came in and I got a full exam and a few vials of blood were taken for further tests. After that Dean came in with his boyish smile on his face. John went to talk to Sam.

"How're you feeling?" He asked me.

"You're okay." I smiled as I looked at him. Something good came out of all of this.

"Thanks to you." He said pulling a chair next to me. "By the way," he said frowning at me. "I'm going to kill you for taking that bullet."

"You would've died." I told him.

"Maybe." He grinned.

Tears filled my eyes and I couldn't hold them back anymore. The white room, what John told me, the beeping of the monitors…it was all too much this time. Dean gently caressed my cheek. I cried harder and he laid next to me, holding me gently in his arms. I cried into him until the tears wouldn't come and I was tired again. I fell asleep with him still holding me.

When I woke up all three were in the room. John was sleeping in a chair and Sam and Dean were playing cards on the bedside table. I turned and looked at them, smiling.

"Hey." Sam smiled at me.

"Sam…" I grinned. He walked over to me and put his arms around me. I hugged him tight. "I'm so happy that you're okay."

"You too. How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Better." I told him. "You?"

"Sore, but good." He smiled.

"Evy…" John said sitting on the edge of the bed.

"John…" I grinned at him.

"You're looking good." He said and kissed my forehead.

I put my arms around his neck as he sat on the edge of the bed. "I love you, you know that?" I whispered in his ear.

"I love you too." He whispered back.

He let me go. I smiled up at him. "When can I get out of here?" I asked.

"I'll go ask." Dean said and left.

"So what happened to Michael and the bald man?" I asked them.

"Michael was buried with his family like he wanted. Bald man was really Kevin Dodgeson, he was arrested and charged with three accounts of attempted murder. He's going away for a long time." Sam told me with a smile.

"Good." I said, relived that justice had been done with only one death. "But truth be told, I'm just happy that we all survived."


	4. Death and a Funeral

**Disclaimer: The usual**

**A/N: Here is chapter four. I hope you enjoy it. Tell me what you think. Thank you!**

**

* * *

**_**Chapter Four: Death and a Funeral**_

I was released from the hospital a few days later. There was no sign that there was any internal bleeding left and all of my test results came back normal. They gave me a prescription for pain medication and sent me home as long as I promised to relax and take it easy. I promised and was so happy to get out and smell the fresh air. John handed me my cell phone from the glove compartment and I stood leaning against the car, listening to my voicemail. I had several of them, all from Jim. I listened to them before dialing his number.

"Where've you been?" He asked when I answered.

"I'm sorry. I had a little bit of an accident." I told him.

"What?" He asked concerned.

"It was nothing. I'm fine. I'll explain later. Is everything okay with you?" I asked him.

"Yeah, I've just been worried about you. I haven't talked to you in a week."

"I know baby. I'm sorry. But I don't have a lot of time."

"What do you have going on?" He asked.

"It's such a long story. I don't have time to explain." I told him.

"Evy…"

"Jim…" I smiled.

"Evelyn Rose Connors." He said in the tone that always made me give into him. Usually for other things than an explanation.

"James Brad Mattfield…" I retorted.

"I'll be right there!" He yelled to someone.

"Do you have to go?" I asked him.

"Yeah, but I'll talk to you soon." He said softly. "I love you future wife." He said sweetly.

"I love you future husband." I smiled.

We hung up and I went through the pictures in my phone of him. Wishing me was here. I shut my phone and put it in my pocket. I turned around and all three of the men were looking at me.

"I'm fine." I said and got into the car. John and Sam got into the back as Dean got into the driver's seat of his Impala.

We drove back to Stones Throw and to the motel. We still had all of our things there. I was nervous going back but it needed to be done. Dean and Sam went to their room as John and I went to ours. There was blood on the floor where John was hit as well as where I was thrown. Everything was broken. I found my things and put them in my bag as fast as I could. Once I was done I left and soon John followed me.

"Everything's going to be okay." He said putting an arm around me.

"I know. I'm just a bit nervous is all." I told him.

"I know." He said and kissed my hair.

"What now?" I asked him.

"You wanna go home for a while?" He asked me.

"Seriously?" I said looking up at him.

"Let's go." He said and led me to his truck.

Soon the four of us were on the road for San Diego. I was so excited to go home. To see my city again. Maybe stop and see a few friends. I still felt tired most of the time and slept nearly the whole way but all in all I was recovering. We stopped at several small places along the road. Things had calmed down and they hadn't found another job yet. It gave me a chance to get to know Dean and Sam. Not only that but I could tell how happy they were to be with their dad again. He had been running for so long and they had been looking so hard that to finally see them together made me feel like I had truly done something good. That all of this was worth it. All the things I saw and did. It was worth it.

When we got to San Diego I went to the storage locker with all of Jim and my things in it. I went through a bunch of pictures and things that I hadn't looked at in months. The guys had found his playstation and the TV. I couldn't believe that there was an outlet in the hall but I let them do what they wanted. We were there a few hours, happy to see my things again. Able to sit on my couch.

When we were done I took them to the nearby park. It was full of kids and dogs playing. There was a nice walkway through the woods. It was a relaxing walk and the trees were beautiful. The only one who was truly up to it was Sam. Dean and John weren't too hip on the idea but I talked them into it. We were only going to be there a couple days and I wanted to do a few things that I used to do.

"Jim and I walked this once a week if not more." I told them as we walked.

"It's beautiful." Sam smiled at me.

"It is isn't it?" I said returning it.

"How long is this thing?" Dean asked.

"About five miles around. It comes out the other side of the park." I told him.

"You've got to be kidding me." He frowned.

"I told you that you didn't have to come." I retorted.

"Yeah, I'd like to sit in the car alone while the three of you walk five miles to the other side of the park."

"You're such a pain in the ass." I told him. "I told John he didn't have to come. The two of you could have found something to do."

"Yeah and leave you and Sammy alone." Dean retorted.

I rolled my eyes and frowned at him. "And what would be wrong with that? I enjoy his company. Your dad is overprotective and you're a jackass." I shot back at him.

"I'm not over protective." John told me.

"Like hell you're not." I told him.

"Sam, feel free to jump in any time now." Dean told his brother.

"I think you're doing alright." He replied with a smile.

Dean made an exasperated noise but was quiet after that. Around the next bend was the duck pond and we stopped for a short while and watched the several that were swimming around. Sam and I sat on a bench while John and Dean sat on another. I knew they weren't enjoying themselves but I was and I really liked talking to Sam.

"Do you plan on going back to school?" I asked him.

"Do you?" He retorted. I just looked at him. "Same here."

I wanted to go back to school but it wasn't in my plan. "How long were you and Jess together?" I asked next.

"A year. You and Jim?"

"It'll be seven years now." I smiled at him.

"Really?" He said sounding impressed.

I nodded. "I met him senior year. We got together and about a year later he joined the army but we stayed together and it's just been that way." I told him. "I can't wait to get married. You better come." I said pointing my finger at him.

He laughed. "Wouldn't miss it." He smiled. "He's a lucky guy." He said sweetly.

I felt my face flush. "Thank you." I said and took his hand in mine.

"Are we going to get moving?" Dean asked from the back of the bench.

"We can turn back if you'd like." I told him.

"Thank god." He said starting to walk back already.

I don't usually get mad, especially about things like that but he made me mad. "What the hell is wrong with you?" I said standing up, following him.

"What are you talking about?" He frowned.

"I realize that you didn't want to do this and noticing that I thought we'd just go back. I thought it'd be a nice gesture, but you are such an ass!" I yelled at him.

"Evy…" John said coming to my side.

"No wonder you need this work of yours. No one would be able to stand you. You're antisocial with only your looks going for you. How does your family stand you?" I yelled just staring at him.

No one said anything. I was going to continue but over his shoulder I saw two uniformed officers walking our way. They weren't scarce here but ever since Jim left I'd been nervous every time I saw them. This time was no different but my feeling intensified as they stopped just behind Dean.

"Can I help you?" I asked walking around Dean.

"Evy Connors?" One asked.

"Yes…?" I said folding my arms.

"We have news." They told me.

"Tell me Jim's alright." I told him. "Please say it." They looked at each other and the younger of the two lowered his eyes. "What happened?" I asked him

"Jim was called to assist after a car bomb several miles from his camp. On scene they tried to save the men that had survived. While there they were involved in dangerous gunfire. He was hit and killed." He paused. "It was quick." He finished. "His body will arrive tomorrow."

I just stared up at him. I lowered my eyes as the information started to sink in. I turned and went to walk to the bench but my knees gave out. Dean caught me, holding me against him. The sobs came in an instant. I turned into Dean and sobbed into his chest. He held me tight. I was unable to control myself. Dean and I remained on the ground for nearly an hour before I managed to stand up. The tears were still streaming and the two officers were still standing there. I thanked them out of politeness but needed Dean's support in order to walk out of the woods. I would periodically have to sit down and cry some more before I had enough control to keep moving. We went back to the hotel and when we went into the room I fell onto the bed and grabbed a pillow holding it tight against me. I cried into it until I fell asleep.

* * *

When I woke up Dean was asleep in a chair. I sat up and slowly got off of the bed, quietly going into the bathroom. I closed the door and put my hands on the counter. I looked up at myself in the mirror and had to laugh as to how bad I looked. I peed and washed my hands. My mind full of pain…so much pain. Jim's face was stuck in my head. As much as I wanted to see him it was the thought of having to see his body today that was going to be hard to bear. I walked back out into the room and Dean stood up, staring at me.

"What?" I asked him.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

I just looked at him. "Am I okay?" I asked him coldly.

"Sorry, that was a stupid question." He said dropping his eyes.

"Yeah, it was." I frowned at him. "Where's your dad?" I asked him.

"He and Sam went to the airport to…" He said but stopped.

I stared at him but knew what he was talking about. I nodded. "I see." I said and paused. "Shouldn't I be there to sign something or something like that?"

"I don't know." Dean said as his phone rang. "Dad…" He said and looked at me. "Okay…yeah…we're on our way."

"Told you." I said and grabbed my purse.

He sighed and raised a brow as he opened the door for me. He drove us to the airport and it didn't take much to get through and was led to a small office. Soon an officer and the airport manager came in. I sat there with Dean standing behind me. John and Sam had left to go back to the hotel.

"Ms. Connors…" The officer said holding out his hand. I shook it and smiled politely. "I'm officer Waltons. We have just a little bit of paperwork to go over. Jim had told his Sergeant that if anything should happen to him that everything went to you. He has a will and his lawyer will be going over that with you but we have the belongings he had with him here ready to be given to you." He told me and paused. I took a deep breath trying to take all of this in. Dean sat next to me and my hand found his. I was shaking and his hand closed tightly around mine. I needed support, even though he was not the one I would have pictured there. "This is his personal belongings." The officer said pushed a plastic bag over to me.

I pulled the bag over to me. His wallet, watch, his necklace with the silver cross looking at me, and a small black velvet box lay inside of it. I opened the bag and took out the box. We hadn't picked out our wedding bands yet but I had a feeling that he had found what we were looking for. I held it in my hand before lifting the lid. Inside sat two rings. They were gorgeous yet simple. His had three diamonds in it in a diagonal pattern. Mine was identical to his but prettier. I smiled at them before the tears started again. The pain and disbelief of Jim's death hit me hard again and Dean turned me into him. I buried my face in his chest and cried. I felt his hand caress the back of my head and felt his lips kiss it. When I pulled myself back together I put my arms on the table, my hands linked together, slightly bouncing as I shook.

"I'm sorry for your loss." The officer said and put his hand over mine.

"She doesn't need your sympathy." Dean shot at him.

The officer took his hand off of mine. He pushed a piece of paper over to me with a pen lying on top of it. "This signs his body over to you. You can then proceed with funeral arrangements." He told me. I quickly signed the paper, pushing it back over to him. He handed me a piece of yellow paper. "Take this to his base and all of this other things will be there waiting for you. They won't be here for a few days. The things I've already given you were on his person when it happened. As well as this…" He said and pulled an envelope from his pocket. "A friend of his told me to make sure you got this. He said it had more meaning than one would think." He said pushing the piece of paper over to me.

I picked it up and opened it. It was the picture I had given to him the day he left. "I gave him this before he got on the plane for Iraq." I told them. Smiling at the photo, running my fingers across his face. "This was my favorite of us. I told him to keep it safe. Telling him that since it was my favorite that he had to be sure to bring it back in one piece." I told them and laughed. "He was such a sweetheart." I said and paused. "He kept his word."

The tears started again but I pushed them aside rather quickly. I felt a hand on my back and I looked up into Dean's face. His eyes were sympathetic and the small smile he gave me was reassuring. We were there only a short while longer to finalize everything. By the time we were walking out the door I already felt desensitized. A haze had fallen over the world. I didn't remember getting into the car or the drive over to the hotel. I wasn't brought back to the world until Dean and I walked into the room to see Sam and John stop their pacing and look at us. John moved to me quickly and embraced me tightly. I closed my eyes and silent tears fell. I put my face into his shoulder until the tears had been soaked into his shirt before I pulled away from him.

"I'm all right." I smiled up at him.

"Liar." He grinned down at me.

I laughed and nodded. I was going to say something sarcastic but tears welled in my eyes and I just shrugged and took a deep breath. John hugged me again and gave me that look he always did to make me smile. This was no different. A smile creeped along my face and I managed to whisper 'thank you' to him. He winked and stepped aside as Sam came up behind him.

"I'm so very sorry Evy." Sam said hugging me tighter than John had.

"Me too." I said and put my face in his neck, taking in his scent. "Me too." I repeated.

Dean left shortly after we got back to get some take out. I took the cross necklace out and placed it around my neck. I looked at the rest of Jim's possessions a moment before placing them in my bag. I laid on the bed and faced the wall. I felt empty inside and all I wanted to do was fade away. Soon I felt the bed move and a body pressed up against my back. An arm wrapped around me and I laced my fingers with the large hand.

"It'll get better. The pain will always be there. But it won't always be this way." John whispered. "Believe me, I know." He told me.

"I know you know." I told him. "But you've lived with yours for twenty-two years. I've lived with mine for twenty-two hours."

"It'll be okay." He said and kissed my hair.

I fell asleep shortly afterward and slept straight through the night.

* * *

It had been a week since Jim's death. John and I were standing in the airport, waiting for Jim's parents to get off of the plane. The funeral was tomorrow and they wanted to be there for private goodbyes and to help with the last minute preparations.

"How are you doing?" John asked me, squeezing my hand.

I leaned against him. "Not well." I told him honestly.

"I think I liked the lying better." He smiled down at me.

"Why?" I smiled back.

"Because you hid how much pain you're in. Hearing you say how much hurts more." He replied.

"I'll be okay John." I told him. "After tomorrow the moving on process begins. It'll be hard, but Jim wouldn't want me to hold on." I said and paused. "He told me that." I said, feeling John's eyes on me. "He made me promise that if he died I wouldn't hold on to him. I'd move on as soon as he was buried. I promised, thinking that the day I buried him would be when we were eighty. Not when he was thirty."

"Evy…" He said putting an arm around me.

"I'll keep my promise." I said pushing tears out of my eyes, taking a deep breath. "He'll always be with me. But I don't want to be alone."

"You'll never be alone." John said and kissed my head.

I heard my name being called and soon I saw Karen and Robert rushing over to me. I left John's side and met them halfway. I threw my arms around Karen and felt Robert's hands on my arms. I cried into them. Hugging each of them as hard as I could. I kept saying I was sorry, they kept telling me that it wasn't my fault. When our sorrowful meeting finally ended I introduced them to John. They didn't seem at all curious about him. Their trust in me was unfaltering and I loved them for that.

"We fell in love with her the first time we met her." Karen was telling John.

"So did I." He said low.

"You have two sons?" Robert asked him.

"Yeah I do. Good boys." He replied.

"We only had Jim." Karen told him.

She started to cry and I couldn't help but feel the tears in my eyes start to burn. We drove to the funeral home so they could see their son. John and I sat outside the closed doors as they sat with Jim. He looked well in death. Just as handsome as he always did. I had spent my own time with him. I had cried more than I ever had before. My grief was great but I had John, Sam, and Dean. They were a great comfort to me.

When Jim's parents came out Karen looked like hell and Robert was as pale as a ghost. I hugged them, telling them that it was going to be okay. We drove to the hotel and they went to their room. John and I went to ours and the boys were sitting on the bed. Sam's laptop was open and there were papers scattered.

"Found something?" I asked.

"Just checking for things." Sam told me sweetly.

"We're going to head out tomorrow night." Dean told me.

"Dean…" Sam told him sharply.

I looked at John who was frowning at his son. "We need you here." He told him.

"You can't tell me that you are going to stay here more than a day." Dean told him.

"I need to finish everything and I need you here." I told him, tears in my eyes.

"You have our father. You don't need us. There are people out there who do. We've spent enough time here. We'll be here for the funeral. Then we have to leave." Dean told me.

"I said I'd think about it." Sam told his brother.

Dean seemed to be overruled for the moment and he left the room. I listened to him leave, trying to understand why he had to be so difficult. It was going through the worst thing in my life and I needed everyone I cared about with me. John was the one I needed, but the boys kept my mind off of things.

"It's okay." John said pulling me into a hug.

* * *

The next morning came fast. I had gotten little sleep. John lay next to me. We faced each other. He had stayed awake with me most of the night. He looked tired and my face was tearstained.

"Don't leave me." I whispered to him. "I couldn't bear you leaving me too."

"Don't worry." John said and gently caressed my face.

"I'm scared." I told him.

"Why?"

"I am so scared of being left. Of being alone. All of my hopes and dreams were wrapped around Jim and me. Now Jim's dead and I have nothing. I've been left with nothing." I cried.

"That's not true." John told me. "Everything of Jim's is yours. He even left you enough money to live comfortably."

"Money doesn't make me happy John. People make me happy. I wouldn't survive if I was left alone."

"You'll never be alone." He said and kissed my forehead.

I nodded and took a deep breath before rolling out of bed. I showered and made myself ready for the day that lay ahead. I left the room and wandered through the halls of the hotel. I just wanted to be alone with my thoughts. I wanted to cry, get it all out before the funeral. Before I had to say my final goodbye and put him in the ground. I went out the back and sat on a bench. I hadn't been there long when a familiar face sat next to me.

"Did you want to be alone or can I sit with you?" Sam asked me.

"Please stay." I told him.

"How are you holding up?" He asked.

"As good as can be expected I guess." I replied.

He nodded. "I know."

"I know you know." I told him. "It's depressing how well you and your family know what I'm going through."

"I know." He said and grinned at me.

He took my hand as we stood and went back up to the room. I walked into the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror. My tears had caused my mascara to run and I gently wiped it away. Not wanting to worry about it later. I was staring in the mirror when John appeared and leaned against the doorframe.

"Are you ready?" He asked me.

I turned to him. "Look at you." I smiled. "All dressed up in a suit."

"I figured blue jeans and a button up was a little to informal." He smiled.

I tried to smile but tears filled my eyes. "Can you just give me a big hug and tell me everything is going to be alright?" I said as tears streamed down my face. He did just that. He held me tight and gently rubbed my back. "I'm so sick of crying but I can't make it stop."

"Everything is going to be alright." John whispered and kissed the top of my head.

* * *

The funeral was a blur. At one point the priest asked if anyone wanted to say anything and I went up to the podium, not knowing what I was going to say. I started out rocky but from what people said afterward I had given a pretty good speech. I didn't remember hardly any of it. I sat with the Winchesters' on one side of me and Jim's parents on the other. There was tons of his family and friends there and the time spent afterward having to shake their hands and say thank you to everyone. I was standing there staring off into nowhere as people passed by me. Every once in a while someone would touch me, bringing me back to reality. I'd smile and say 'thank you' to them.

When the crowd started to thin I went into one of the side rooms. I quickly locked the door behind me. I turned around and Dean was sitting on the couch. He had already un-tucked his shirt and loosened his tie. I sighed and just looked at him.

"How are you doing?" He asked.

"I've had enough." I told him. "I can't keep standing there and shaking everyone's hand. I just want this day to be over."

"Sit down." He told me.

I walked across the room and sat down. "I want this feeling to stop. I feel empty and I can't stand it anymore."

"What are you going to do?" He asked me.

"I don't know. Go wherever John goes I guess." I told him.

"He's not going to take you with him." He replied.

"Why do you say that?" I asked. "He's taken me with him so far. Why wouldn't he continue to?"

"He left me." He replied. "He left me and cut me off from him, to protect me. What makes you think he won't do the same to you?"

I looked at him. "Because he loves me. He loves me differently than he loves you. He'll take me with him. I need him to recover from losing Jim."

"You're not going to fall for him are you?" He asked with a small laugh. "He's twice your age."

A sudden feeling of anger rose inside of me. "What?" I asked him.

"It'd be kinda gross don't you think?" He asked with that boyish smile of his.

"What is wrong with you?" I said angrily, standing up. He stood up with me.

"I was just asking –" He started but I slapped him across the face.

"It sounding more like accusing to me." I told him.

"I'm just looking out for my dad. I just can't see him taking you with him when this is all over." Dean told me.

"Than you know nothing." I told him coldly.

He looked at me a moment before anger crossed his face. He shoved me up against the wall. I looked at him with as much hate as I could muster. Him looking at me the same way.

"You're hurting me." I told him.

"Good." He replied.

The next thing I knew he was kissing me. I started kissing him back. He still had my arms but he pushed himself against me. His hands moving to my face and I put my arms around his neck. I kissed him hard. He picked me up. I wrapped my legs around his waist as he walked me over to the couch. He threw me down onto it before lowering himself on top of me. He kissed me hard before his hand moved down my body and I felt him slowly pull the bottom of my dress up. I gave a short yell as he pushed against me. I dug my fingers into his back as we fell into rhythm with each other. I put my forehead against his, breathing hard. He continued to kiss me and then slowly stopped and lay on top of me. I lay there for a moment, kissing him gently. He gently rubbed my side and caressed my face. I looked up at him. For a moment I thought he was Jim. I came back to my senses and I quickly moved out from under him, disgusted with myself. I straightened out my dress and ran my fingers through my hair. I wiped the corners of my lips and reapplied my lip-gloss. I looked in the mirror by the door and decided that I looked fine to go face everyone again. I put my hand on the doorknob and turned back to Dean.

"Still think I'm after your father?" I asked him coldly and left the room.


	5. Misery

**Disclaimer: Please see chapter one.**

**A/N: Okay, here's chapter five. Let's see how this one goes. If you can review that would be great. It's rather disheartening when you get next to no reviews. Depressing really.**

* * *

_**Chapter Five: Misery**_

I sat alone in the hotel room. It had been two days. I hadn't done a thing with myself since the funeral. I had the same pajama's on and had no intention of doing anything with myself until the guilt went away. I hadn't spoken to Dean since our mistake. It was awkward and I had nothing to say to him. It was a mistake and I felt horrible about it. I didn't know what I was going to do but I didn't want to look at him. Sam and John knew that something was wrong but neither me nor Dean were about to say anything to them. John tried but since Dean's comment, no matter how untrue it was, got me thinking.

I heard the door open and John came in. I was sitting against the headboard with my knees up against my chest. I looked at him before looking back at the spot on the wall that I had been staring at. He didn't say anything to me as he sat down and looked at me.

"What?" I asked him.

"You've been a bit off since the funeral." He told me.

"What did you expect? I had to bury my fiancé." I replied.

"I know." He said softly. "But you've been more off than after he died. I know this is going to take time. But something more is going on. Tell me."

I looked at him and tears welled in my eyes. "I can't."

"You know you can tell me anything." He said frowning at me.

"I don't want to disappoint you." I told him. "I did something that I am not proud of and I can't take it back."

"You can tell me what it is."

I smiled at him. "Can you just stay with me for a while?" I asked. "I just need to feel like I'm not alone."

"You're not alone." He said and sat next to me, putting his arm across my shoulders.

I leaned into him and closed my eyes. I laid with my head in his lap. He gently ran his hand up and down my back. I laid there, thinking of everything that had happened. What it meant for me now and for the future. My dreams were shattered. The only constant was John and his work, our work.

"Are you going to leave me?" I asked him.

"What?" He asked.

"Dean said something to me." I told him sitting up and facing him.

"What did he say?" He asked.

"That you were going to leave me behind. That you would just drive off and leave me." I replied. "I couldn't take you leaving me too."

He looked at me and smiled. "I won't leave you."

"Thank you." I said and laid my head on his lap again.

I thought a while longer before I fell asleep again.

* * *

_A dessert lay before me. The hot sun beating down. I saw a car that was in flames. There were men screaming and bodies lying near the wreck. The scene moved closer to the wreck, showing me the misery that the men were in. There was a sudden noise and the scene turned toward an approaching truck. It came to an abrupt halt and men got out of it. They ran toward the wreck. The scene followed the new comers and when one took his helmet off Jim's face filled the view._

I shot awake, gasping for air. The light quickly turned on and the three men were all staring at me. John had his arm around me as I tried to catch my breath. Once I had calmed down a little I closed my eyes and the scene played again before my eyes. I opened them and Sam was sitting in front of me. All of them were looking at me with a concerned expression.

"I'm okay." I told them. "It's fine. Go back to sleep."

"You were gasping for air." Sam told me.

"I'm fine." I told him.

"You had another vision." John told me softly.

"No. It was just a nightmare. Go back to sleep." I said and forced a small smile.

They all looked at each other. Dean was the first to roll over and pull the blankets back up. Sam looked at me and put his hand on my knee. He gave me a small smile before going back to bed. John leaned and turned the light off. I laid on my side, facing the wall. I felt him turn toward me and he put his arm around me.

"I know it was a vision." He whispered to me.

I didn't say anything. He kissed my cheek before he rolled over and went back to sleep. I slept on and off the rest of the night. I finally got up around six, unable to lay there anymore. The men were still asleep as I slipped out of the room. I went down for the continental breakfast but food just wasn't appetizing.

I left the hotel to get some fresh air. The morning was cool but it was nice. The air was refreshing and the quietness of the morning was calming. I walked a few blocks before making a square and making my way back to the hotel. I took an alley and was deep in thought when a man grabbed my arm.

"What are you doing wandering around in dark alleyways?" He asked.

I looked at the man and was going to reply but I frowned at him. "What do you want?" I asked him coldly.

The man's eyes turned yellow and an evil grin stretched across his face. "Knew it was me huh?" He grinned.

"Answer the question." I told him.

"I can't give away my big plan." He nearly laughed.

"Than just kill me already." I told him flatly.

"You want death? You weren't this eager to die the last time I saw you." He said the grin still plastered across his face.

"Last time there was something to live for. Now he's gone. So go ahead. Kill me." I told him moving closer to it. "I dare you."

He laughed before he hit me, sending me across the alley.

* * *

I woke up some time later. I looked around but I was alone again. I walked back to the hotel my shoulder sore. I walked to the room but hesitated before putting the key into it and pushing open the door. I walked in and only Dean was there. I sighed and slammed the door behind me.

"Looking for me are they?" I asked him.

"You've been gone for hours." Dean replied as he packed his bags.

I looked at the clock. It was after ten. I opened my phone and sent John and Sam a text, telling them that I was at the hotel. I sat on the bed and looked at Dean. He looked back at me and sighed.

"I'm sorry for what happened." He told me. "I didn't mean for it to go that far."

"Than what did you mean?" I asked him. "Did you plan for something like that to happen? Desperate to get some so you go for the grieving girl who is nearly out of her mind with grief?"

"I didn't plan anything." He told me.

"For a moment I thought you were Jim. I was literally out of my mind with grief and you took advantage from me."

"You weren't complaining." He told me.

"I didn't know what I was doing. You were just there." I replied. "You were there and I was lonely."

"So you would've done my dad if I hadn't been there." He stated.

"No. Your dad is my best friend. Jim was everything to me and his death took everything away from me. You were there when I was weak and vulnerable. It was a mistake. It'll never happen again." I told him.

The door opened before Dean could say anything more. I looked at John and Sam. Both of them looked relieved but I knew that John was getting sick of going out and looking for me. I was going to explain but simply told them that I needed to go for a walk; that I didn't mean to worry them. I left out the part about the demon finding me. I didn't want to have to explain that I had asked it to kill me. John would know if I was lying and I didn't want to talk about it. Some people had to keep secrets to protect the ones they love.

John seemed on edge and Sam and Dean were quiet. Dean had finished packing. He told Sam to pack but he seemed reluctant. I packed my own things and asked John to give me a ride to the storage locker. He nodded but didn't say anything. We were quiet on the way and once we got there he stayed in the truck. I went through the small hall until I found number twenty-five and unlocked the door. I rummaged through all of our things. Jim's cross dangling from my neck. I was moving fast and in the process I knocked over a box and pictures spilled out onto the floor. I bent and started to pick them up. Several of them were of Jim and me and for a moment I stared at them. I smiled at them before tears burned in my eyes. I stood up with several in my hands. I started to shake and I suddenly hated them. I hated that they existed and Jim didn't. I started to tear them up letting the pieces fall to the floor. I ran my fingers through my hair and looked around at everything that used to matter to me. My anger flared and I grabbed the nearest object and threw it. I spun out of control and tore apart anything that was close enough to grab. It was a blur as I broke everything, threw boxes, yelling with rage. I didn't stop until I was too tired to lift anything more. I fell to my knees and sobbed. I didn't hear John come in but he wrapped his arms around me. My sobs didn't subside even though he spoke as many comforting words as he could. I tried to calm down but then I looked at the damage I had done and the sobbing started again. I buried my face in my hands. John turned me toward him and I gripped his jacket before putting my arms around him.

* * *

"Everything okay?" Sam asked when we got back to the room.

"Yeah." I told him.

"Could've fooled me. You look like crap." Dean told me.

"When are you leaving?" I asked him.

"Not until you don't need us anymore." Sam replied.

"Convinced him, have you?" I asked.

"For now." He smiled.

The rest of the day was quiet. John and I went back to the storage locker hours later to clean up. I went through everything that was savable and took what I wanted. The rest I donated to my old church and hoped they could find needy people to give them to. Once we got back to the hotel I did feel better. I had had my break down and I had gone through all of our possessions. It didn't take long due to my violent outburst. The rest of the night was spent in the hotel room.

_The heat of the sun was blinding. The wreck was burning and Jim and the other men were doing there best to help the men that were still alive. Jim was yelling orders. He helped one man carry the wounded, placing them in the back of the truck. There was so much yelling and horrendous pain that was written over the men's faces. They were trying to stop the bleeding where a man's arm used to be. Others were trying to help the man that was on fire after the explosion. He was screaming and when the men finally put out the flames the man was beyond help and they left him, moving to help the others. The scene panned out and in the distance three trucks approached. A few of the men saw them approaching and watched them closely. Then they yelled to the rest to take cover. Everyone was running in every direction. The trucks drew near and the machine guns came into view._

When I opened my eyes I was in John's arms. We were on the floor and I was shaking. I looked up at him and he looked worried.

"You can't tell me this was nothing. You started to scream." He told me.

"I'm fine." I said moving away from him.

I stood up and walked into the bathroom. I splashed water on my face and down my neck. I took deep breaths trying to push what I saw out of my head. John appeared in the doorway. I looked at him but didn't say anything. He came in and closed the door.

"Evy…"

"I'm fine." I told him.

"God damn it!" He yelled, making me jump. "You're not fine so stop saying you are!"

"John…" I said turning toward him.

"You are not fine." He said more calmly. "You are fading away and I'm not going to stand by and watch you."

"I am fine." I told him firmly. "I am just trying to deal with all of this."

"That's my point! You're not dealing with it! You grow angrier and angrier every day." He yelled.

"That's not a bad thing." I told him, my anger flaring. "I can use it. To do what we do."

"You're not doing it anymore." He told me.

"So you're going to leave me." I stated.

"I don't know!" He said, yelling again.

"What is wrong with you?" I yelled at him.

"You're turning into me. A cold hearted monster that only cares about revenge and killing." He replied.

"I'm nothing like you!" I yelled at him. "Jim died because of the war. The _human _war. His death was not supernatural. He died because he was serving his country. He had an honorable death. Mary was killed by a demon. You are very different from me."

"If we're so different than what about your visions?" He asked. I didn't have a comeback. "We are the same. You and me." He said and watched me.

I stared at the floor before looking up at him. "I love you John and I don't want to fight." I told him. His face softened. "And you're right. I'm not dealing with Jim's death the way I should. But what I've been through with you, the things I've seen, they've changed me." I told him. "You were right about the visions too. I have been having visions. But they are of the past."

"How do you know?" He asked.

"Because I've been seeing Jim in Iraq. I've been seeing his last minutes. I haven't seen his death yet but it's only a matter of time. The first was just his team getting to the scene of the car bomb. The second was them helping the wounded. At the end the enemy trucks were arriving and I could see machine guns poking out of the windows." I explained. "The next is going to show him dying and I am so scared for that. I am terrified to watch how he died. I am miserable. I can't save him and to have to watch him die is going to be too much for me. It'd be like watching you or the boys die. I can't do it. I don't want to but I can't stop it. I don't want these premonitions anymore. Past, present, or future." I finished as a tear fell down my cheek.

His anger was gone. He walked over to me and hugged me tight. "Why couldn't you have just told me?"

"I don't know." I replied.

"Promise me something." He told me, looking me in the eyes. "Be honest with me."

I paused a moment before nodding. "I promise." I told him.

"And I promise to do the same."

"Thank you." I said and put my arms around his neck, kissing his cheek. He hugged me tight. "Can we go do something fun?" I asked him. "Just get out of this damn hotel room and do something normal. I need to dull the pain."

"I know something that'll help with that." He smiled. I smiled back at him. "Take a shower and get ready. We're going out." He said and smacked my ass as he opened the door and left.

An hour later John and I were walking through the doors to the nearby bar. It was very country and nearly everyone was sporting hats and boots. A smile immediately crossed my face and I looked up at John who was smiling back at me. He took my hand and led me to a table in the back. I sat down while john went and got drinks. He came back with two shots a beer to chase it with. I laughed and downing the shot before gratefully drinking the beer, listening to the music, watching the line dancers on the dance floor.

"You know. I wanna learn to line dance." I said and looked at John.

"Than what are we waiting for?" He grinned and took my hand.

I had to laugh seeing John on the dance floor, feet fumbling as a couple taught us the steps. Several beers later and several songs John and I looked like part of the gang out on the dance floor. I was having a blast. The highlight was everyone dancing to The Devil Went Down To Georgia. It was rockus and so much fun. John was smiling and laughing along with me.

"Thank you." I told him as we slow danced. "This has really helped me."

"It helped me too." He said and kissed my forehead.

"Things are going to be okay." I told him. "If you asked me that earlier today I wouldn't have thought it possible. But I think everything is going to be okay. I'm going to miss Jim like crazy but I've got people I love that are still here. I am going to be okay." I told him.

"I've always thought so." He smiled.

"You been there for me through thick and thin. What would I have done without you?" I smiled.

"I think you would've been just fine." He replied.

We left the bar at close and went back to the hotel. We were both rather trashed and our entrance into the hotel room was rather loud and Sam and Dean woke up. We apologized and dropped onto the bed without changing. I laughed and John looked at me. He was smiling but it faded.

"What is it?" I asked him.

"Nothing." He said the smile back on his face.

"Okay." I said and put my hand on his shoulder.

I was on my stomach. I closed my eyes and took my hand back. I felt his fingers on my cheek before I fell asleep.

* * *

I woke up to the room door slamming. I looked around. There was a note on John's pillow. I was alone in the room. I got out of bed and looked around the room. Everything was packed and all of John's things were missing. A sudden dread filled me and I ran from the room. I ran down the stairs and out the door. Sam and Dean were standing there watching the black truck start to drive away.

"What's going on?" I asked them. They looked at me sympathetically. "Where's he going?" I said moving forward. "John! John wait!" I yelled running after the truck. "John!" I tried to catch up to it but it was no use. "JOHN!" I screamed and fell to my knees.

All happiness that I was holding on to was gone. He left me. He promised he wouldn't leave me. I watched the truck until it was out of view and let the tears fall. There were no arms to wrap around me, no words of comfort whispered in my ear. I got control of myself and stood, starting at the place where the truck had turned out of view.

"Goodbye John." I said aloud.

I turned back to Sam and Dean. Sam looked sad and Dean wouldn't look me in the eyes. I walked past them and ran back up to the room. They followed but didn't say anything. I grabbed the envelope from the pillow and ripped it open. I read the letter over and over again. It was short and simple. His explanation was stupid to me. He was protecting me. Protecting me from pain and suffering. His way of making sure I stayed alive. He ended the letter sweetly, saying he loved me and that's why he left.

"This is ridiculous." I said aloud. "We are a team."

"Evy…" Sam said putting his hands on my arms.

"He left me." I said and looked at Dean. "Just like you said he would." My head started to spin and the pain set in as the room blurred and the dessert came back into view.

_The men were yelling to take cover and Jim moved into view. He watched the upcoming trucks before running to load the rest of the men into the truck. Everyone was in the truck that was still alive and Jim moved to the passenger side of the truck. It started to drive away when Jim stopped the driver. There was one man left, pinned underneath the car. Jim ran toward it and tried to lift the car off of the man's legs. The enemy was getting closer and Jim was running out of time. He didn't stop trying to help the man. He yelled to the driver to take off and as reluctant as the driver was he started to drive off. Two other men jumped from the moving vehicle and ran back to help Jim rescue one of their own. The enemy had arrived as the guns started to sound. Jim pushed the men down and tried to take cover. The gun fire was too heavy. Jim was hit in the arm and leg first, sending him to the ground bleeding. He tried to crawl away, to find cover, but the guns never ceased. He was shot several more times, blood pooling from his wounds. He gasped for air but there was no hope. The other two men were already dead. He spotted the man under the car and he was still alive. Jim quickly looked away, not wanting to draw attention to the man. The enemy watched him bleed out; waiting to make sure he would die before driving off after the truck with the survivors. Once the enemy was gone Jim moved toward the man and put his hand over his comrade's. He told him that everything was going to be okay. That he would get out of this. Jim spoke comfortingly until the blood loss overtook him and he passed on._

I blinked as the room came back into view. Sam was gripping me, holding me steady. Dean was watching me.

"This day. He had to pick this day to leave." I told them and walked out of the room.

"What did you see?" Sam asked following me.

"I need to call your father and yell at him." I replied. I walked from the hotel, dialing John's number. He didn't answer. I wasn't surprised. The call went to his voicemail. "John Winchester! You promised you wouldn't leave me and now I'm here and you're not!" I yelled into the phone. "I saw what I was afraid to see and you weren't here for me." I said as tears started. "I saw him die. But the difference is, is that as horrible as it was, I have never been more proud of him. He died trying to save one of his own. He died a hero. I'll always love him for that. And that's the difference between him and you. You're a cowered." I hung up the phone and stood there. My body was shaking with anger and several other things popped into my head to say to him. I dialed his number again. "You are a cowered. Things get a little tense and you take off. You are not the man I thought you were." I said and paused. "Be that as it may, you better be alive the next time I see you." I said and hung up the phone.

I stood there a moment before going back up to the room. Dean looked annoyed but Sam looked concerned. I finished packing my things and took a moment to think. No one said anything. I made sure I had everything before looking at them.

"What did you see?" Sam asked me.

"Jim die." I told him. Both of them looked at me. "I'm fine. He died honorably. He made me and his country proud. He's the best man I know. But that doesn't change the fact that he is dead. My misery could destroy me but after seeing what happened I can't allow it. I have to help people. I have to continue the work your dad showed to me. I need to find John and I need to help him. I need a lot of things but right now what I need is for the three of us to get moving. Let's go kill something evil." I told them.

"I think I like this new side of you." Dean grinned.

"Shut up." I told him and made my way from the room.

I led the men from the room and down to the Impala. I got into the passenger seat and the other two loaded things up and got in. Dean got behind the wheel and turned on his usual old rock music and then pealed out of the parking lot. I looked out the window, saying goodbye to my home and to my old life. Misery would drive me, leading me down a path that was unbelievable and yet necessary. My life had turned out to be nothing I had thought it would be. I had a mission and people to save. An ability that I didn't ask for but will fully embrace for the greater good. At least that was the plan for now, for things can change in an instant.


	6. Anger

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize from Supernatural. Just my own characters and ideas.**

**A/N: Chapter six, woo-hoo! Hope you enjoy. PLEASE REVIEW!!!**

* * *

_**Chapter Six: Anger**_

I ran through the cemetery as fast as I could. The night air was cool. I tripped over a broken headstone and quickly got to my feet, knowing that I had little time. The grave came into view. I skidded to a stop and poured the salt and gasoline over the exposed bones. I light the match and smiled as I dropped it onto the bones. Only minutes later my cell rang in my pocket.

"Sammy…" I said answering it. "See you soon."

I hung up the phone and started to walk back to the cemetery entrance. It had been nearly a month since we left San Diego. I waited for the Impala to drive up. Listening to the owls in the trees. A year ago I might have been afraid to stand there alone. Not anymore. I was at home in the dark and whatever lay in it.

"It's about time." I said as the headlights came into view.

"Good job." Dean grinned when I got into the car.

"Oh yeah, it's really hard to burn bones." I told him sarcastically. "That's all I've been doing lately. Keep the engine running, burn the bones; stay here unless we need you. I'm sick of it man."

"We've been over this." Dean told me.

"Don't say another word. I'm not listening to any more of your crap Dean Winchester. Your dad let me participate. That means I have what it takes to help. I'm not as fragile as you think me to be." I told him.

"He let you help because you saw what was going to happen. You knew more than he did. _That's_ why he let you help." He replied.

I sighed. I hadn't had a vision since San Diego and I was actually missing them. "I can help Dean. Don't push me even farther away." I told him.

Dean had been distant ever since the funeral. I didn't blame him. I had wanted the same thing. Once John left though, it changed the way I wanted things to be. I didn't want to walk on eggshells every time I was around Dean. I wanted things to be relaxed and comfortable. Dean had moved from a common denominator to a big part in my life. We'd had more than a few arguments since I was left with him and Sam. Sam was the buffer but he wasn't his dad. I called John nearly every day, leaving him messages since he never picked up the phone. I didn't expect him to. It was rare for him to call my phone and he always managed to do it when I didn't have it on me. I'd be surprised to hear his voice on my voicemail and I hadn't deleted any of his messages. I missed him. His boys were a lot like him but in two different bodies. Sam was sensitive and sweet where Dean was hard and tough. I was adjusting but I was also angry that they were treating me like a helpless girl. I wasn't helpless and I would prove it to them. One way or another.

* * *

I walked through the store. I felt eyes on me and I knew that I was being watched. I stopped and faced the wall and waited. I stared at the merchandise, listening to everything around me. I felt someone close behind me. A pit fell in my stomach and I froze as breath touched my neck. 

"How hard could it be to just pick one?"

I sighed and rolled my eyes. "You're not a girl. You wouldn't know." I told him coldly.

"Dean, leave her alone." Sam said rounding a corner.

"Here, get these." Dean grinned at me, holding up a Maxi pad box.

"Go to hell." I glared at him.

"Jeez, I hate feminine products." Dean said looking at the long aisle of choices.

"You're ridiculous." I said grabbing a package of thins and walking toward the front. "I still don't know why you came in with me. I told you I was only going to be a minute."

"And nearly a half hour later we're leaving the store." Dean replied.

"You are such an ass. Why do I put up with you again?" I asked him, frowning.

"Right back at ch'ya." He replied.

I bought my items and cursed myself for being a girl. We got back into the car and I took the back seat. Wanting to put something in between me and Dean. We got back to the hotel and I opened the door to my own room. I forced Dean to get two rooms not wanting to deal with their manly ways for a few nights. We hadn't found anything of interest yet but something had to come up. I still hadn't had a vision but it was only a matter of time before one came to me. There had to be something out there that needed killing. Something that was doing harm to others that needed to be destroyed.

I was sitting on the bed watching the weather when my phone lit up. It was a text message from Sam. Apparently his brother was ranting about having me along. I just smiled. As much as Dean didn't want me there he wasn't about to let me leave. I was a connection to John. Dean wasn't going to lose that.

* * *

We were in the car again. Driving across the country to find a place to stay. We had run into another dead end. I was visionless and all of us were running impatient. It was beginning to be ridiculous. There was no reason why it was taking so long for something to appear. Bad things were out there everywhere and yet we couldn't find just one of them. There were the occasional angry spirit but they were easily taken care of. The jobs lasted only a few days. I, as well as the boys, was used to running from place to place every day to fight something different. It was discouraging, and it didn't help any of our moods. 

"I can't believe this." Dean said after a days worth of driving.

"Dean, just calm down. Getting all huffy about it isn't going to change anything." I told him as we unloaded the car.

"Shut up." He told me angrily.

I froze and looked at my feet, nodding my head. "Why do you do that?" I asked him. "Why are you so angry at me? I didn't do anything to you. We shared a mistake. Don't hold it over my head."

"Why are you even mentioning it?" He yelled.

"Why are you yelling at me?" I yelled back at him. He didn't say anything. "Does this have to do with your dad?" I asked him. A flicker of acknowledgment crossed his face. "You blame me for his leaving don't you? That you're once again looking for him. That's it isn't it?" I asked.

"You are to blame." He told me before going to the room.

I was shaking, trying to hold my emotions back. Sam stood there but I looked away from him and he went into the room after Dean. I stood there only a moment more before shouldering my bag and briskly walking down the road. I wasn't going to put up with Dean's shit. Even though Sam had become a close friend he couldn't make up for his brother's behavior. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. Dean blamed me. He blamed me even though John was known for leaving the way he did. It had been the last straw. I was sick of being angry all the time. I had to get rid of the common denominator, and that was Dean. I didn't look back as I walked away from the hotel.

"Goodbye Sam…bye Dean." I said and quickly walked away.

I got on the next available bus. I didn't care what the destination was. All I cared about was getting away. I could take care of myself, this I knew, all I had to do was prove it.


	7. Full Force

**Disclaimer: You know it, I know it.**

**A/N: Reviews people! Anybody out there even reading the story? That bad huh? Jeez laweez…**

* * *

_**Chapter Seven: Full Force**_

I hitchhiked over the next few days. Sleeping here and there. I was trying to find something supernatural. Something that I could kill. Anything that would make me feel better. I kept getting text messages from Sam but I never replied. I was angry at both of them. I had something to prove and I was going to prove it.

I had caught a ride to a truck stop in the middle of nowhere. There wasn't a lot of options after that so I sat in the small café area of the gas station and drank a cup of coffee.

"Alright, now what?" I asked, seeing the flaw in my sudden departure.

I rested my head on my hand and closed my eyes. I was tired and it was quiet, being it was the middle of the night. I was starting to drift off when the familiar pain started in my head.

_A red headed girl and a younger man walked past a sign saying Blackwater Ridge heading into the woods. The scene moved through the woods to a cave with bodies hanging from the ceiling. One was alive and he listened to his friends be eaten. The beast moved from them to him and his eyes grew wide as he looked into its face._

It faded out and I took a few deep breaths. "A Windego." I said and pulled my laptop from my bag.

I looked up the national park and discovered that it was in Colorado. I immediately set out and managed to get a ride to the nearest bus stop. I opened my phone and found Sam's number. I looked at it, trying to decide whether to text him about this or not. In the end I closed my phone and looked through all my information on Windegos. I knew how to kill them but doing it on my own would be very dangerous. It would be cowardly of me to tell the boys and then keep my distance but I wasn't about to risk innocents just to try and do it myself. The next day I was just a few hours from the park when the pain started again.

"Not again." I groaned as I leaned against a wall.

_A bedroom came into focus and a young woman entered the scene. She looked to be simply going through the motions. It looked like she had just been out on the town. Her hair was slightly messy and her blouse wasn't on quite right. She walked into her bathroom and as she brushed her teeth a shadow passed in front of the door. She turned but there appeared to be nothing there. She finished and then shut the lights off before crawling into bed. Only moments passed when there was a thud in the room. She gasped but passed it off as just a noise. There was a little more of a gap before the thud was louder. She sat up and turned on the lights. At the foot of the bed was a pale man, dark circles around his eyes, dirty, not to mention scary as hell. He was holding a sledge hammer in his hand. The woman screamed and he raised the hammer. With one swing blood splattered across the walls and the woman lay over the edge of her bed, half her face missing._

* * *

When the room came back into view my knuckles were white from gripping the sides of the table. The workers kept glancing at me and I quickly exited the building. Now I had a real dilemma on my hands. There were people who needed help in two different locations. I couldn't be in two places at once, which meant I had a phone call to make. I took out my phone and held down the proper number.

"Hey, it's me."

"Where are you?" Sam asked in a low voice.

"That's not important. What's important is that I have had two visions and I can't handle both of them on my own."

"Don't handle any of them on your own. Wait for us to get there. Just tell me where you are." He told me urgently.

I sighed and took a moment to gather myself. He sounded worried and John popped into my head. "In Wisconsin, there are several people who are going to walk right into Windego territory." I told him. I explained what they looked like and anything else he might need to know. "Get there and find these people. Hopefully you won't be too late."

"Evy, please, just tell me where you are. If you're worried about Dean I'll take off on my own and come and get you." He told me.

"Help those people. I have my own to take care of. I'll call, I promise." I told him and hung up the phone. It rang almost immediately afterward but I ignored Sam's call. "Okay, time to go kick some Demon ass."

The only flaw in my plan was that my latest vision didn't have a location. I went back into the store and looked up anything to do with a man who died violently, anything dealing with sledge hammers.

* * *

It took several hours but I managed to shorten the list and managed to get a location on where he died. My best guess was that his name was Homer Limmerman. He murdered his family with a sledge hammer before the townsfolk walked in on the scene and as punishment sentenced him to die in the same way. It was a long time ago, when a town's leader had the say and no one questioned it. It was a small town in Oregon that looked to be rather remote. I had a bit of a jaunt to make and caught a ride on the next truck that was heading in my direction.

When I got there everyone was talking to everyone. Apparently it was one of those towns where everyone knew everyone else. That wouldn't help me in finding the girl in my vision or trying to lie to get the information.

"Great…" I said as I walked through the town. "Excuse me." I said stopping a passerby. "I'm looking for a young girl. She's got strawberry blond hair, blue eyes, pretty skinny, and about my height. Do you know where I can find her?" I asked.

He was an older man and he smiled at me. "Monica Masterson is the girl you're talking about." He grinned. "She's a wonderful girl. I believe she's at the old folk's home just down the road here. She volunteers there at least twice a week. Wonderful, wonderful girl."

"Thank you very much." I smiled at him.

"You're welcome." He smiled and went along his way.

"Well that was easier than I thought it would be." I said aloud as I walked down the road.

Soon the home came into view and I could see her in one of the residents' room as I walked up to the doors. She was pretty and the image of her dying went through my head and it took me a moment to shake it off before going inside.

Inside I found myself face to face with an old man who was holding a glass eye in the palm of his hand. I just looked at him and smiled, nodding as he told me about his deceased wife. I was trying to get away from him when I was rescued.

"Mr. Miller, what have I told you about that eye there? And why are you out of bed? You know it's nearly time for your bath."

"Oh yes, yes, I remember." He smiled and headed back to his room.

"Sorry about that." The girl smiled at me.

"Monica right?" I asked her.

"Yes." She smiled.

"Hi, I'm Evy Connors. I'm here to see you."

"What about?" Monica asked.

"Here really isn't the place to talk about it. When do you get off?" I asked her.

"What is this about?" She asked me again, edge in her voice.

I sighed. "I need to ask you a few questions about a man named Homer Limmerman." I told her honestly.

A sign of recognition crossed her face. "How do you know that name?" She asked me.

"When do you get off work?" I asked her.

"Two hours." She replied.

"I'll meet you out front." I told her.

She nodded and I turned and left. I took a deep breath once I hit the fresh air as I found the small library. There was something here. Some kind of connection and I wanted to know what it was before I talked to her again. I wanted some idea of what I was dealing with. I was reading an article when my phone rang. I looked at it and my heart skipped a beat. I opened it but didn't have time to say anything before a loud voice was in my ear.

"What the hell are you thinking!? Going off on your own! Not telling Sam where you are! Not allowing them to help!"

"John, calm the hell down!" I yelled back into the phone as low as possible. I grabbed my things and left the building. "Don't you dare yell at me." I told him once I was in the open.

"Call Sammy now and wait for him to get there." John told me. I could picture him in my head saying it. "Do you hear me?"

"John…" I said softly. The only thing in my head right now was that he wasn't with me. "You told me you wouldn't leave me. You said that I wouldn't be alone."

"I left you with my boys." He told me, the anger still in his voice.

"You left me. You left me John, when I needed you most." I replied.

"And that's why I left you." He told me gently. "You can't depend on me so much. You can't expect me to be there all the time because someday I won't be."

"Stop it." I told him, tears filling my eyes. "Just…stop. I've lost too much in this world. I don't want to hear you talk like that."

"Evy…" John said softly.

"I love you John. You are the best friend I have and I need you." I told him, trying to fight back the tears.

"I love you too." He told me gently.

Just hearing him say it made me relax a little. "Did same call you?" I asked.

"Yeah."

"And you called me." I stated. "Don't I feel special." I smiled.

He laughed a little. "Only because I worry about you. My boys can handle themselves. You've never dealt with this on your own."

"I can handle it." I told him. "I was with you long enough to pick up on things and I've been with your boys long enough to learn. I've been doing a lot of research. I can handle it."

"You can do as much research as you want but its experience that got me this far, as well as my boys."

"Than that's what I'm doing. I'm gaining experience." I told him.

"Not alone." He told me with that edge in his voice again.

"John, I need to do this. I need this for me. I am treated like a little girl and I can't stand it anymore. Dean is a pain in the ass and blames me for you leaving again. He blamed me." I told him and paused. "I need the experience and I'm not getting it from your boys. I need to do this so please don't try and convince me otherwise. If you keep talking I will listen to you but I don't want to. I need to help this girl. Besides, it's a vengeful spirit. I have dealt with those enough to handle it on my own."

"Just find the bones and burn them. Don't do anything stupid." He told me.

"I never do anything stupid." I told him. But then Dean popped in my head. "Well, almost never."

"I know. But I don't intend on going to another funeral for a long time."

"Neither do I." I smiled. I looked at my watch. "But I have to go. I have to meet with my victim."

"I do love you Evy." John said with a tone that made me worry.

"I love you too." I told him. "Let's talk again some time." I smiled.

I knew he was smiling but when he spoke he was serious again. "You call me when you've killed the son of a bitch. You hear me?"

"I hear you. I'll talk to you soon." I told him and hung up the phone.

I put my phone to my lips and smiled. Taking a deep breath and headed back to the old folks home. Monica was already waiting for me outside the doors.

"Wanna go for a walk?" I asked her. She nodded. She walked in silence for a little while. She seemed nervous and I didn't want to push but wanted to get it done. "What can you tell me about Homer Limmerman?" I asked her.

"Why do you want to know?" She countered.

"Have you been seeing him lately? It's clear that you know who I'm talking about." She looked at the ground. "You're in trouble Monica. I want to help but that's hard to do when you won't tell me how you know him."

"First just tell me how you know his name." She told me.

I sighed and looked at her. "I saw him. I have these visions that show me what's going to happen. I saw him kill you."

"With a sledge hammer?" She asked.

"Yes." I replied. I waited for her to open up.

"I am one of his descendants." She told me. "The night he killed his family one of his daughters had a baby that was hidden during the murders. It was found the next day. She was my great grandmother."

I nodded as I processed the information. "Was your mother her granddaughter?"

"Yes."

"Is she alive?" I asked her.

"No." She replied flatly. "I knew this day would come. I am the last of the family. He has killed everyone in our family."

"Where was he buried?" I asked her.

"I don't know." She told me.

"We have to find out." I told her seriously.

She took me to her house and from a box in her closet took out all the information she had on her family. We spent hours going through all of the papers she had. Her grandma had a lot of things but it was very unorganized. I was getting frustrated as the run was setting knowing that he could show up at any moment.

"Here…" She said handing me a piece of paper. "He was buried here in one of the cemeteries. In an unmarked grave."

"Great." I said and leaned back, running my fingers through my hair. "Just great."

"Now what?" She asked me.

"We go to every cemetery and find the unmarked grave." I told her.

"And if there's more than one?"

"Put on grubby clothes because we're going to be getting dirty." I told her.

She went to get ready and I went through my bag. I had plenty of lighter fluid and salt, as well as a gun with rock salt bullets. I felt confident. I had a plan and knew what to do. I was loading the gun when I heard Monica scream. A pit fell in my stomach as I rushed to the room. The door was locked. I swore and I threw my shoulder into the door. It flew open and I saw Homer moving toward her with the hammer raised. I quickly shot him and his disappeared. Monica was cowering in the corner.

"Are you all right?" I asked her.

"Yes." She nodded and got up.

"Let's go kill the son of a bitch." I told her and left the room.

* * *

There were only three cemeteries in the area. We were in good shape when the first didn't have any unmarked graves. But the second had two which was very discouraging. It took several hours to dig up the graves and burn the bones. By the time we were done Monica was exhausted and I wasn't much better. We drove to the final cemetery and Monica had to hold back tears as we counted five unmarked graves. I gently rubbed her back but didn't say anything as I walked to the nearest grave and started to dig. Monica was only a short distance away from me starting to dig out the second grave.

By the end of the third we were digging out the graves together. My arms were starting to burn and Monica rested more than she dug.

"Why are you so comfortable doing this?" She asked.

"Because I've done this more than I want to say." I replied.

"What are you into?"

"The supernatural." I smiled at her.

We burned the third set of bones and frowned at the thought of doing it twice more. I walked to the next unmarked grave but Monica sat on a large headstone nearby. I had barely put the shovel in the ground when I heard a headstone shatter. We were so close but the spirit knew that. I turned and he was towering over Monica. She was on the ground, pushed up against a headstone. I quickly took the gun out from the back of my pants and shot him. He disappeared but reappeared behind me. He raised the hammer quicker than I could move and it collided with my hip, sending me to the ground. He moved toward Monica again and I shot him again. He didn't reappear and I quickly moved to the grave and started to dig it out. Monica was starting to panic. She tried to help me but in the end she was just hindering me. I didn't realize how much better three was from one. I held my breath as I dug and felt a moment of calm as I burned the forth set of bones. We paused a moment, waiting, and relief filled me for a moment. I ran to the last grave. I hadn't stopped when I was knocked off my feet. I rolled in time to avoid the hammed coming down on top of me. I rolled to my feet and shot another bullet at him. He disappeared momentarily and appeared behind Monica. I yelled for her to run and she took off through the cemetery. I started to dig the grave. Monica disappeared from view and I knew that I was running against the clock. I dug as fast as I could. I heard commotion but tried not to focus on anything other than the task at hand. I was halfway down when Monica same back into view. She yelled for me to hurry and I dug as fast as I possibly could.

I broke open the wooden box and quickly climbed out of the grave. Monica was still running for her life. The fluid and salt was on the bones when I heard the scream. I turned in time to see the hammer come down on top of Monica. I wanted to go and help her but the task wasn't done. I lit a match and dropped it down onto the bones. I turned and Homer's spirit was face to face with me. As the bones burned he simply smiled before disappearing forever. I took a deep breath and ran over to Monica. I was scared of what I was going to see but when I looked over the headstone she was just starting to come to.

"Thank God." I said and knelt next to her. "Are you okay?" I asked.

"I think so." She said getting onto her hands and knees. I helped me up. "What happened?"

"It's done. You're safe." I told her.

She started to cry and put her arms around me. "Thank you so much." She said hugging me tight.

"You're welcome." I said hugging her back.

I got her home and made sure she was okay before I left. I decided to walk for a while. I left the town behind me with confidence. It was unlike any of my other experiences and I learned and lived through it with minimal damage. The air was cool and I pulled out my phone. I dialed John's number and he quickly picked up the phone.

"If you need help just tell me where you are." He told me quickly.

"It's done. I don't need any help." I smiled into the phone.

"Seriously?" He asked.

"You've been around me too long." I grinned. "Anyway, I am perfectly capable of dealing with this kind of stuff. I told you, I've learned and can handle it."

"Are you hurt?" He asked.

"Minimally." I told him. "I took a couple blows but I'm okay."

"You're sure? You have all of the cards?" He asked worriedly.

"John, don't worry about me. I'm okay." I told him.

"Can you do a favor for me?"

"Of course."

"Call Sam. He's really worried."

"Have you talked to him?" I asked. He didn't say anything. "I'll call him."

"Thank you." He said softly.

"I'll make sure your boys know you love them." I told him.

"Thank you." He said again. "So where are you going now?" He asked, sounding completely fine.

"I don't know. I'll find something. I'm good at research."

"Be safe."

"You know I will." I smiled.

The phone clicked as he hung up the phone. I took a breath before dialing Sam's number.

"Hi Sammy."

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Better than okay. I handled my first case on my own and survived." I smiled.

"It's done?"

"Yes, it's done."

"Are you hurt?" He asked.

"A little but I'll be fine." He was his father's son.

"Are you going to tell me where you are yet?" Sam asked.

"No." I told him.

"Fine. Just promise me that you'll call if you need help or if you need anything. Alright?"

"Alright." I replied. "Thank you Sam."

"Be safe."

I grinned and rolled my eyes. "I will be."

I hung up the phone and shook my head. In the next town I stopped and pulled out my laptop, tapping into the internet. I thought a moment about what had happened and even though my rips and hip was sore I was proud of myself. Once I thought about it enough I just smiled and started the search for my next innocent.


	8. Trouble

**Disclaimer: Anything you recognize from Supernatural is not mine. Anything else is my own creation.**

**A/N: This chapter is rather long and I hope that doesn't turn anyone off of it. I enjoyed writing this chapter and just couldn't shorten it up. I hope you all enjoy and any feedback you can give me would be awesome. Thank you!!!**

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* * *

**_**Chapter Eight: Trouble**_

I moved from town to town. Everything was pretty normal. There were a few things here and there that caught my focus but most of it never panned out as anything serious. I spent most of my time walking listening to my Zune. I met people here and there but over all I spent my time alone. I texted Sam at night once all three of us were stationary for the moment. Every once in a while he'd ask me if he could tell Dean but I told him not to.

"This is ridiculous." Sam told me after we upgraded to occasional phone calls.

"It's not ridiculous." I replied eating an apple.

"Just tell me where you are." He said for the billionth time.

"No." I told him. "Believe it or not I'm enjoying my time alone."

"I don't believe you."

"Sure you do. You just don't want me to like being alone."

"Have you talked to dad lately?"

"I talked to him the other day. He's doing well. He sends his love." I replied.

"Really?" He said skeptically.

"You know he loves you Sammy." I told him.

"I know." He said.

I rolled my eyes. We talked until I could hear Dean in the background and Sam ended our conversation. I finished my apple before getting off of the park bench and making my way down the street.

* * *

I was starting to feel a little discouraged a few days later when I still had no leads. Not only that but without something to distract me I was starting to feel lonely. I was sitting in a small town park thinking that I'd call Sam and see where they were. Considering going to find them. That would make Sam happy. I flipped open my phone when I heard a twig snap behind me. I froze but didn't make any acknowledgement of it. I waited only a moment longer before spinning, grabbing the person behind me and slamming them into a tree.

"What the f –"

"Don't finish that sentence." I told the man I had pinned to the tree. "What do you want?"

"For you to let me go." He told me coolly.

I released him and crossed my arms, taking several steps backward. "Who are you?" I asked him.

"Riley Newberry." He replied.

"And…?"

"And what?" He asked.

"Why are you following me? I noticed you earlier but ignored it." I replied.

"I know who you are." He told me.

I eyed him carefully, looking him up and down. To me he looked to be around thirty. He had visible scars on his face and arms. He was well built. He had a nicer body than Dean. His hair was a little shorter than Sam's but it looked nice on him. I felt a small smile start to creep across my face. I quickly pushed it away and cleared my throat. I was lonelier than I thought.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked him.

He gave a small grin and soon the fallen leaves on the ground started to hover around him. He moved them toward me and soon they were spinning around my body. A moment later they fell lazily back to the ground. I just looked at him.

"There are more of us than you think." He told me.

"How do you know about me?"

"My friend Monica Masterson." He replied.

I just looked at him. "Hmph." I said and smiled.

"She told me how you helped her."

"We helped each other." I corrected. "She did just as much."

"Only because you were there." He told me.

"It wasn't all me."

"Can't you accept a compliment?" He asked.

I smiled at him. "What do you want?"

"Someone to talk to. Someone who understands." He replied.

"Well you're not coming with me." I told him.

"Why not?" He asked.

"What have you been doing up until now?" I asked him.

"Trying to live a normal life." He replied.

"Yeah, see, if you come with me you will never have a normal life. The work I do is too important." I told him.

"You're right. That's why I want to go with you. I want to learn from you and from others like you. I feel like I've been wasting my time. I've had my ability for seven years. I've been hiding it. I don't want to hide anymore. I want to help."

"So you tracked me down?" I grinned. "Of all the people out there like us, you track _me_ down."

"You seem to be truly genuine. Who else would be the best to learn from?"

"I don't think so." I told him and shouldered my bag as I walked away from him.

I halted in my tracks not because I wanted to but because a force stopped me. It lasted only a few moments. I turned and Riley walked up to me. I punched him hard across the jaw.

"If you ever use your power on me again I will kill you." I told him angrily. "It's not why you have them."

"I'm sorry." He told me, rubbing his jaw.

"That's why you're not coming with me. I can't afford to have to watch my back and do the job." I told him and started to walk away.

"Evy…"

I didn't turn back. At first the thought of having company overpowered any other thought. Knowing that he was one of us was something of a miracle, but I couldn't afford to try and bring someone new in. The only people I could ever truly trust are the Winchesters.

* * *

I had made it across the country. I was in Texas. The state with the sun and the cowboys. I was enjoying the view. The rodeos were fun. The only drawback was that I was still alone. I was feeling it more than ever. I was practically begging to the slightest inkling of a job when I finally lucked out. There was a family only a few hours from the current town I was in that was having trouble with their home. Noises and happenings that is unexplainable and dangerous. I made my way there and hoped that I'd be able to handle this just as well as everything else I've come across alone.

"Can you explain that for me?" I asked Mr. and Mrs. Gosling.

"No, that's what we're saying." Mrs. Gosling told me. "All we know is that one of our dogs went downstairs and when he didn't come up we went to find him."

"And you found him impaled on a piece of wood?" I confirmed.

"Yes. It was an old beam that was broken and he was hanging from it." Mr. Gosling told me.

"I'm so sorry." I told them.

"We're just worried about our kids. They've been seeing things outside that we haven't but it's just as worrisome as anything else." Mrs. Gosling told me.

"Is it all right if I talk to them as well?" I asked.

"If they'll talk to you. They won't even talk to us about it." Mr. Gosling replied.

"They're upstairs if you want to try." Mrs. Gosling told me.

I nodded and went upstairs. Maggie was eight and Hunter was five. Both were quiet and looked like they were holding the world on their shoulders.

"Hi, I'm Evy." I said sitting next to Maggie. They were both drawing pictures of a dog. "Is that Bruiser?" I asked. She nodded. "Can I ask you a question?" She looked at me. "Can you tell me what you saw?" Maggie looked at me but didn't say anything.

"There were four of them." Hunter told me in a whisper.

"Hunter…" His sister scolded.

"It's okay. I won't tell anyone." I reassured them.

Maggie looked from her brother to me and sighed. "There were four of them. They surrounded us. They were evil men." She whispered to me.

"What do you mean?" I asked her.

"We were swinging." She told me. "And they surrounded us and one grabbed Hunters arms. Another grabbed my neck."

She pulled her hair back and showed me heavy bruising on the back of her neck. Then she pushed up hunters sleeves to reveal heavy bruising there as well. I was shocked and gently touched the marks. I took out my digital camera and took pictures of the marks.

"What happened after they grabbed you?" I asked her.

"Hunter screamed. Mom came running out and they disappeared." She replied.

"And you're sure there were four of them?" I asked her. She nodded. "Okay…" I said and felt a dread seep into me.

I was there another hour or so trying to help Maggie remember as much about the men as possible. She remembered only a few characteristics of the men and it wasn't a lot to go on. I went to the town library and looked up local history. The town was hot and dry. It was the most arid place I'd ever spent time in and I was feeling it after hours of research and the hot sun.

"I'm not getting anywhere." I told myself as I stared at my non-findings on the screen.

* * *

That night I went back to the house and kept my distance. I watched the house and the happenings that were going on. Everything seemed to be in order. Nothing out of the ordinary. The house was silent and I enjoyed the coolness of the night. I was going through all of my notes when a whisper blew by with the wind. I froze and listened intently. The whispering continued but seemed distance. I heard a scream in the house and soon lights went on and running was heard. I stood quickly and ran toward the house. I had my gun out, loaded with rock salt. I burst through the door and up to the kids' room. A fresh hand print was on Maggie's arm.

"Ms. Connors? What are you doing here?" Mr. Gosling asked.

"I heard yelling." I told him.

"Why do you have a gun?" Mrs. Gosling asked. "Does the paper give those out to all of their reporters?"

"No, it's just a personal precaution." I replied. "Is everything okay?"

"Can I talk to you?" Maggie asked me.

Her parents looked at her than at me. "Yes." I told her. Maggie asked her parents to leave and I sat on the edge of the bed. "Tell me what you saw."

She described a man with a full beard, dressed like a cowboy. He was whispering but she couldn't remember what he had said to her. She was scared but was holding up well. Hunter had gone with his parents so it was just the too of us.

"What do I do?" She asked.

"Leave that to me." I told her. "Here, take this." I said handing her a small package of salt. "Throw some salt at them if they show up again. Okay? That'll help. In the meantime I'll be trying to figure this out. It'll be okay." I told her calmly. She seemed to believe me.

An hour later I was leaving the house. The house was a few miles out of town and there wasn't a neighbor in sight. No wonder they were so scared. I was halfway down the driveway when the whispering started again. I tried to ignore it but it was close and a fear was starting to creep into me. I felt something touch my back and I froze. I turned around but nothing was there. I took a step forward when I was hit from the side. The blow was hard enough to send me rolling. I felt another as I got up. I stayed on the ground after the second blow. I waited for a minute or two but nothing happened. I got up and briskly walked back into town and to the motel room that I rented. Once I was inside my breathing quickened and my body started to shake.

"Shit." I told myself as I walked into the bathroom.

I took off my shirt and there was bruising all along my ribs and half of my face was lightly tinted with bruising. I understood the warning but it wasn't going to stop me from trying to save this family.

* * *

The next few days were spent in front of my computer trying to figure out who these four were. Maggie's second description of the man was helpful but it got more hits meaning more stories and legends to filter through. I wasn't getting very far. I had hoped that four men would have dug up more than what I found but nothing was violent and nothing was from this area. It just didn't make sense. After I had exhausted the internet I moved to the library going over all of the history books that I could find. I found even less in the books and resorted to the old newspapers. If something had happened here it would be in the paper. I was reading an article when my phone vibrated.

"Hello?" I said answering it.

"Ms. Connors?"

"Yes?"

"This is Ben Gosling. You came to see my wife Paula and me the other day."

"Yes, of course, what can I do for you?" I asked him.

"Um, I feel weird calling you like this anyway and I may be going nuts but a…" He said and paused. "It's Maggie."

"I'll be right there." I said and hung up the phone.

I abandoned the open papers in front of me and grabbed my things leaving as quickly as possible. When I got to the house everything was very quiet. I let myself in and Ben was sitting on the steps. He appeared to have been waiting for me. He thanked me for coming and led me upstairs. I held my breath as we walked into Maggie's room. Ben was blocking her from view but when he moved aside I gasped as the site of the girl. She looked like a walking bruise. Her face was swollen and discolored. Her arms were splotchy and the part of her neck that was showing had bruising as if she were strangled.

"Maggie…" I said walking up to her. "What happened?"

"They came back." She told me. "They came back and I tried to fight them but I couldn't." She started to cry.

"Did you see this happen?" I asked her parents.

"There was nothing to see." Paula told me slightly frantic. "How would it look if we take her to the hospital and can't explain it?"

I sighed and got up. "That wouldn't be a good idea."

"She talks to you. What are we dealing with?" Ben asked.

"I'm not sure yet. The best I've come up with is that we're dealing with four vengeful spirits." I replied truthfully.

"Spirits." Bed said and then laughed. "And I thought I was crazy."

"Ben…" Paula said but she had the same look on her face.

"I know it sounds crazy but it's not. I have been dealing with this sort of things for a long time. I know what to do if I could just figure out why this is happening. Your daughter said that she and Hunter saw four men and that they hurt them. They called them evil. I believe them. I myself had an encounter with them the last time I was here. My face was bruised but that healed. My ribs on the other hand…" I said and lifted my shirt to reveal the heavy bruising that was still there. "It hurts like hell. I didn't see who did this to me but it was in your yard. There is a presence here and I am trying to figure it out so I can save your family." I finished. By the looks on their faces I figured I had convinced them. "Do either of you know any history, legend, or even a myth about four men. It would probably be a horrible story. Any murderers or serial killers come to mind?" I asked.

"No." Ben said and Paula shook her head.

I sighed. "I have work to do. Don't let them out of your site." I told them. "I'll be back soon."

I left the room quickly. I made my way from the house. This was getting serious and I wasn't getting anywhere. I needed to call in reinforcements. I went onto the porch and stood there thinking about what I was going to say. I had just pulled my phone out when I heard a whisper behind me. This time it was clearly a man. He whispered 'gorgeous' in my ear. I froze but stayed calm. I went to raise my phone to my ear when I was thrown from the porch. I landed hard and before I had time to get up there was pressure on my chest and something grabbed my hair. The sun was nearly set but I could see a transparent form over me.

"Who the hell are you?" I asked it.

"Such a pretty girl." The form whispered.

The pressure released and I was free. I got up and strained my ears to hear anything and everything around me. There was nothing. I took a step backward but nothing happened. I turned to run when I was hit hard in the small of my back and I fell forward. I took a blow to the face before they were coming at me in all directions. I couldn't catch my breath as I continued to get beat. When they finally stopped I could see four men standing only a few feet from me. They looked western. Being that I was in Texas I didn't think I was too far off. There was one standing ahead of the rest. Clearly he was the leader. He fit the man that Maggie had described to me. They could change from transparent to corporal. It might have been fascinating if I weren't being beaten to death by them.

"This here is our town. Don't go snooping around. You might get hurt." He told me.

"This coming from a man whose dead." I said getting to my feet. "The only thing you should be worried about is me sending you to hell."

The men laughed and the next thing I knew I was flying through the air.

* * *

When I woke up I was in the arms of a man. I lifted my head and was shocked to see Riley's face come into focus. He was taking me toward the house.

"What happened?" I asked him.

"You scared the shit out of me." He said laying me in the swing on the porch.

I yelled in pain. "The last thing I remember was flying through the air. What happened after that? Where did you come from?" I asked him.

"I was still a little ways off when I saw you get thrown. Four men…ghosts." He said looking me over. "Since the last time I saw you I've been learning as much as I can. Found a couple hunters that let me talk to them. Saw a few things along the way."

"How did you make them leave?" I asked.

"I didn't. I just yelled out and they vanished." He replied.

I looked at my side to see a thin branch sticking out of it. "Apparently I hit the tree."

"You think?" He smiled.

"Jesus…" Ben said coming outside. "I heard something but…" He said and shook his head.

"Help me fix her up." Riley said picking me up again. I yelled and held tight to him.

He put me on the couch in the living room while Paula and Ben gathered things to help me. As much as tried to focus on me right now I could only think of Sam and Dean. I needed them. I needed them here. I was in deep and I wasn't going to make it out of this without them.

"I need to make a call." I said trying to sit up.

"No." Riley said making me lay back.

"Riley, please, I need to make a call." I told him.

"Later." He said and pulled the stick out of my side. I screamed in pain. "Shhh, it's all right." He said softly and ran his fingers through my hair.

"It's bleeding pretty bad." Ben said as he handed Riley some gauze.

He put pressure on the wound making me yell again. "It's not too bad. It's all the way through but it's barely past the edge of her side. The bleeding will stop." Riley said though his tone wasn't completely convincing.

The pain was horrible but I managed to control myself as my wound was tended to. Other than the puncture wound I had only scraps and bruises. Once I was patched up I sat forward. The world was a little fuzzy but I had something I needed to do. I left everyone in the house. Riley was watching me through the window. He couldn't believe that I'd actually go back outside. I was close enough to the door but I didn't think the men would come back again tonight. But I couldn't say the same for tomorrow. I hoped Sam and Dean would be here by then to help me. I took my phone out and hit the speed dial to call Sam.

"Sam…" I said trying to hold back my emotions. "It's me."

"Evy, what's wrong?" He asked me.

I heard Dean ask 'What is it?' in the background. "I'm in trouble." I finally told him. "I'm in deep and I can't do this on my own. There is four spirits here and they are the worst I've ever seen. I need your help."

"Where are you?" Sam asked.

"Windfall Texas. I'm at an old farm house a few miles out of town off the main highway. It's easy to find. Please hurry." I told him.

"We're on our way. Just lay low until we get there."

"Thank you." I said and hung up the phone.

"Who were you calling?" Riley asked walking up to me.

"My backup." I told him.

"I could help you. We can handle this." He told me.

"No, we can't." I replied, my voice hard. "This is the worst I've ever come across. We cannot handle this. You are inexperienced and to be brutally honest so am I. I've done very little on my own and I can't handle this one on my own and you are of no help to me."

"Than I'll just go." He told me.

"Good, you'll be safer that way." I told him.

"I'll go hunt them myself." He said.

"Don't be cocky about this. They'll kill you before you can even think."

"Maybe not."

"So you've been doing this for what, a couple of weeks? I've been doing this for years and I'm still inexperienced. That makes you little more than a snack to what's out there." I told him, trying to make him understand.

"I'm a grown man." He replied. "I don't need your permission to go out and fight for what's right."

"Fighting is one thing. But what you're talking about is suicide."

"Than I'll die doing what I should have done years ago."

"That's no way to die. You will have done nothing for the world except depriving it of another hunter. You need to wait here with me and when they get here then we will see." I told him. "For now let's just watch over this family. If any more harm comes to them I'll never forgive myself." I said and went back into the house.

I waited for Sam and Dean to arrive. Hoping that they weren't too far away. Dean was a fast driver but I didn't know where they were coming from. I almost called John but I knew that it wasn't fair to keep bringing their family together only to see it torn apart days later. I was hurt and my head was aching but I put on a good face for the family and their two kids. Maggie knew what I was feeling. She was a brave girl and she had been thrown around just like me. Beaten by things she could barely see. We all locked ourselves up in the kids' room. There was strength in numbers.

Only a few hours passed before I heard the familiar sound of Dean's car. I rushed from the room. I went downstairs and pushed through the door. Sam and Dean were already out of the car. I was so happy to see them. The light from the house made it impossible to hide my wounds and both their faces told me I looked like crap. Sam was the closest to me and I threw my arms around his neck, hugging him tight.

"Sam, I'm so happy to see you." I said and put my hands on the sides of his head, looking him in the eyes.

"What happened?" He asked holding my head in his hands.

"I'm in trouble." I told him, my hands on his arms.

"Evy…" Dean said, straight-faced, looking at me.

"Dean…" I said and let go of Sam.

For a moment it was a little awkward. I put my arms around his neck and stroked the back of his head. He held me tighter than Sam did. I put my face in his neck and breathed him in. He always smelled so good.

"Are you okay?" He asked wiping the hair from my face. One hand moved to my wounded side and I let out a noise of pain. He looked at my expression and tears were in my eyes. "What is it?"

I was going to tell him but my throat caught as tears welled in my eyes. "Dean…" I said putting my hands on his chest.

"It's okay." He said comfortingly. "Everything's going to be okay."

I put my arms around him and started to cry. I felt Sam's hand on my back. I controlled my tears and let go of Dean before hugging Sam again.

"I'm okay." I said and laughed. "I feel like an idiot but I'm okay."

"What's going on?"

"Who's that?" Dean frowned.

I turned to see Riley. "Riley, this is Sam and Dean Winchester. Guys, this is Riley Newberry." I told them. "He's one of us." I said looking at Sam. Sam's angry face turned to wonder as he looked at the man who stood behind me. "He can move things with his mind. I've seen it." I told them.

"What is he doing here?" Dean asked moving closer to me.

"He saved me." I told him. "He followed me here without me knowing. Good thing though. I would've been killed if it wasn't for him."

"Have they come back?" Sam asked me.

"No. But we need to figure something out. It's going after their eight year old daughter. She's just a child Sam. We need to do something."

"And we will." Dean told me. "Stay here. Me and Sam will go try and figure out a way to get rid of them."

"I've looked everywhere for information on these guys but have come up with nothing. I don't know if you'll have any better luck. I'm good at researching." I told them. "The only thing I can think of is that I didn't have time to go through all of the old newspapers. There might be something there but six eyes are better than four. I'll help."

"No." Dean told me quickly.

I just looked at him. I was no longer happy to see him. "Don't you get it Dean? This is why I left. This right here. You not trusting me to help." I told him.

"And look where it got you." He said barely under a yell. "You're hurt because you left and tried doing this on your own. I can't protect you if you're not with me."

"So you not letting me help was your way of protecting me? That's bullshit. And what about you blaming me for John leaving? Was that you protecting me too?"

"I didn't mean it." He told me.

"Whatever Dean. Right now I need you and Sam to help me clean up my mess. I'll wait here and protect the family the best I can. Riley will come in handy if they show up. Hopefully together we can keep them at bay."

"You be here when we get back." Dean told me as he walked back to the car.

"Can't wait to fight some more." I said as I turned back to the house.

Riley didn't ask any questions. We went back upstairs to the room. Everyone was still there and due to the quietness nothing had happened while we were gone.

"Do you think they'll be able to help?" Riley asked.

"Yes." I replied.

"I can see you've got some history with Dean." He commented.

I didn't say anything. The night wore on and Sam and Dean weren't back yet. I ended up falling asleep and woke up to the sun shinning through the windows. Everyone was where I had left them. Maggie was awake, reading a book. She was being so brave. If I was her I wouldn't be able to say that I'd be brave. I'd be scared shitless if this had happened to me.

"How you holdin' up?" I asked sitting on the edge of her bed.

"I'm okay." She told me calmly.

"It's okay to be afraid." I told her. "Even I'm a little scared."

"Really, I'm okay." She told me.

"How is that possible?" I asked her. "You weren't this calm yesterday."

She smiled at me. I looked at her and a flicker of fear started to burn inside of me. "Jesus…" I whispered and slowly stood up.

The small girl stood, that smile still on her face. "Nothing you do is going to stop us. You can try but we are here to stay." She told me confidently.

"You're not Maggie." I stated.

The girl cocked her head and frowned a little. "No, no I'm not." She said then laughed.

"What's going on?" Paula asked me.

"Get out of the room." I replied. "All of you out now."

"What is it?" Riley asked me.

"Maggie?" Ben asked his daughter.

"Maggie's not here right now, but if you'd like me to leave a message I'll have her get back to you." The girl still sounded like herself but she clearly was someone else.

"You son of a bitch." I told it.

The smile faded and it hit me hard across the cheek. She was powered up from the spirit inside of her. "That's my mamma you're talking about." I just looked back at it. "Anyway, we have been here for years. Why do you think this house is on the market every six months or so?"

"You stupid bastards. Did you honestly think that no one would notice?" I asked.

"You didn't." It said and laughed.

"It's a mistake I'll never make again." I told it. I had missed the pattern.

"Only you're too late." It told me. "I've got the girl and soon my men will be here to play with the rest of you."

"Over my dead body." I told it pulling a book from my bag.

"Why do you think I'm here before them?" It smiled widely.

I took a step back and open the book. I had barely gotten a Latin phrase out when I was pushed up against the wall.

"Don't play games with me." The demon told me angrily.

"Leave her alone." Riley said from a corner of the room.

"I told you to leave." I told him.

"Someone else to play with?" The demon smiled through Maggie.

"I said, leave her alone." He said again.

He focused on the girl and she flew against the opposite wall. The demon attempted to move but Riley had it firmly pinned to the wall.

"Start reading." Riley told me. He lifted his arm and his hand was focused on keeping the demon pinned. "Start reading." He said again.

I opened up the book and started the exorcism of Maggie Gosling. I read the ritual as quickly and precisely as I could. The girl's body shook as I read. The demon yelling for me to stop as it panicked. I finished the ritual and the spirit's essence left the girls body. Riley released Maggie and she fell to the floor. The girl started to bawl and I rushed to her, holding her in my arms.

"It's okay. You're okay." I told her.

But it wasn't over. There were three more to worry about. As soon as the exorcism was done whispers started to erupt in the room. The three men formed in front of us. Encircling our small group. Maggie started to scream. I held her as Riley stood in front of us. He tried his power on them but they weren't corporal. One went for Riley and he was thrown across the room. I moved to help him but Maggie was holding me so tightly. I watched as Riley was being beaten. I tried to free myself from Maggie but she kept pulling me back to her.

"Riley!" I yelled. He was bleeding badly. "Maggie! I have to help him! Get under the bed!" I yelled at her. She finally listened to me. "Riley!" I said running to him. I passed through the spirits and grabbed him. I didn't have a plan anymore. The only hope I had was that Sam and Dean had found their bones or another way to destroy them. "Please!" I yelled. I was thrown backward. I pulled out my phone and called Sam. "We're out of time! Hurry!" I yelled and hung up the phone. "Riley! Oh God." I said watching them work on killing him.

I continued to yell and attempt to help him but there was nothing to be done. All I succeed in was drawing their attention to me. One turned on me as the other two continued to beat Riley. I was pinned to the wall and the man in front of me was no longer transparent and he had a knife in his hands. For the life of me I didn't know how they were doing this. I had never seen anything like this before. I was out of ideas and I was tired. He slashed my arms and across my chest. I didn't yell out. I just looked at him. Tears were running down my cheeks. Hope was gone and now all I could see was Maggie screaming from under the bed. I closed my eyes, giving up, and the first thing that popped into my head was Dean. My eyes shot open and anger boiled inside of me. I managed to free my arm and I punched the man across the face. I made contact and I fell to the ground. He recovered immediately and tossed me across the room. He moved over me and raised the knife. The end was near. The knife came down and I felt the initial pain but a moment later the men let out a yell and disappeared. The knife was in my chest above my heart. I barely touched it and it fell to the floor. I meant to be strong but I broke down almost instantaneously. I closed my eyes, my hands on my head. I waited a moment, getting control, before rushing over to Riley.

"Riley…" I said taking his head in my hands. "Riley can you hear me?" He groaned weakly but his eyes didn't open. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." I said as tears came to my eyes.

"It's okay." He said weakly.

"No, it's not okay." I told him. "You're hurt, bad."

"I'll be okay." He said and smiled, his eyes barely cracked open.

"Riley…" I said softly. He closed his eyes and his body relaxed. "Riley? No, no, no. Riley!"

I took out my phone and dialed 911. His breathing became shallow and fear started to rise inside of me. If he died I wouldn't be able to live with myself. I was supposed to protect him. He was as much an innocent as the family around me.

"Please hold on." I told him.

* * *

Dean's car pulled up behind the ambulance. I watched them load Riley into the back of the ambulance before being led to a second. I had barely sat down when Sam and Dean appeared.

"Are you okay?" Sam asked.

"Is she going to be all right?" Dean asked one of the paramedics.

"The slashes are shallow. She may need stitches, I'd like to take her to the hospital to double check all of her wounds."

"And I told you that I don't want to go to the hospital. I don't want to deal with all of that. The only reason I'm going there to check on my friend. That is all." I told the paramedic.

"Just go to the hospital." Sam told me.

"I'm fine Sam." I told him.

"Excuse us for a moment will you?" Dean asked the men around me. They nodded and left me and Dean alone. I looked at him. "Do you think this is bravery? Not going to the hospital."

"No. I just don't like hospitals and I'm not worried about me. I'm worried about Riley." I told him.

"Listen to me." He said walking up to me, just close enough to not touch. "I know you are beating yourself up about this but it's not your fault. None of it is." He told me. "I tried blaming you for a lot of things that I shouldn't have. I took all of my anger out on you. I was mad at my dad and because you got close to him I took it out on you. I pushed you away and ended up pushing you right out of the door. I'm sorry." He told me. "I'm an ass. I know that. And I'm sorry."

I just looked at him. Amazed at the words that had just escaped his mouth. "I want to show you something." I told him. "Look at this." I said and pulled my shirt down over the left of my chest. There was a perfect laceration above my heart. Dean's expression changed and I saw a flint of fear across his face. He lowered his eyes and cleared his throat. "I was this close to dying. Your timing was so on that if you were even a few seconds off I would be dead right now. I thought I was going to die. There was no question in my mind. That was it. The job would kill me. I fought hard, Dean, I fought hard but I wasn't good enough to save myself. You saved me. Thank you." I told him. "Only the thing is. Is that the last person I thought of, was you. We fought, it seems to be the only thing we're good at. But when I was going to die I just wanted to talk to you. We don't talk. You yell, I argue and try and use my sarcasm to lighten the mood." I told him and paused. "I just want things to be better."

For a moment we just looked at each other. "Are we done being sentimental?" He asked with his familiar tone.

I laughed and sniffled a little. "Yeah." I smiled up at him.

"Good." He said and gently rubbed my cheek. "Than I'll meet you at the hospital. I'll take care of the paperwork. Just get yourself looked at." He said and walked back to the car.

"Is everything okay?" Sam asked me. "What did he say to you?"

"I'll tell you at the hospital." I smiled up at him.

He smiled and kissed my forehead. "He comes through when you need him to."

"Yes he does." I smiled back.


	9. Making Things Better

_**Chapter Nine: Making Things Better**_

I had to do the whole stretcher thing and everything. I was put on oxygen just to be on the safe side and got to experience being rolled into the ER. I was seen by the doctor and ended up getting stitches anyway. The whole experience didn't last very long and I was grateful for that. I managed to get the doctor to release me after only being there a few hours. He did everything he needed to and told me that as long as I took care of myself that I'd be fine. The usual doctor things to say. I'd heard them before. Dean and Sam stayed with me the entire time. I was grateful for them. At the same time Riley was somewhere in the hospital and no one knew anything.

"You get dressed. I'll figure out which room he's in." Sam said and left the room.

"Okay." I smiled and sat on the edge of the bed starting to get dressed.

"I ah…" Dean said and cleared his throat. "I'll just wait outside."

"It's nothing you haven't seen before." I told him.

The only thing he could see was my back as I pulled on my clothes. I could sense his unease as he tried not to look. I just smiled and turned to him as I slipped on my shoes.

"Come on." I said and left the room.

I rushed to the admitting desk as Sam made his way back to us. He got the room number and I practically ran to it. I stopped in front of the door and took a deep breath before going in. The monitors were beeping and when I went around the curtain my breath caught in my throat. He looked like crap. He had been through hell and there was no hiding it. The boys stayed outside the room. I sat in a chair next to him and took his hand in mine. I gently stroked it. I looked at his face. He looked peaceful, I assumed that was from the help of drugs. I gently caressed his face and smiled. He'd done a good job. After a moment I went back out into the hall. Dean walked up to me.

"They have him sedated." He told me. "His injuries were more extensive than yours. He has some mild internal bleeding. They're keeping a close watch on it. If it gets any worse they're going to have to go in and fix it."

I nodded. "Okay." I said and took a deep breath, exhaling it sharply.

"Are you okay?" Dean asked.

"I don't know." I told him. "I'm to blame for all of this. If I had just told you were I was and what was going on I could have avoided all of this. I had something to prove but I've done a piss poor job of showing it."

"You did good. There are very few people who could have done what you did." Sam told me.

"Thank you." I said running my hand down his arm. He grabbed my hand and held it briefly. "Did the doctor say that he was going to be okay?" I asked them.

"Yeah, he should be fine." Dean replied. "But, where do we go from here? Do you plan on taking him with us?" He asked.

I looked at him but no answer came to me. "I honestly don't know. I'm taking this as it comes at me. All I know is that he has a part in all of this. He's like me and Sam. I think it'll be hard to leave him behind."

"She's right." Sam told his brother.

* * *

I spent the day in Riley's hospital room. He hadn't woken up yet and I was beginning to get worried. Sam and Dean left for a while to get my things for me and to gather any previsions that we might need. I sat next to Riley and stared at him. I didn't know what I was going to say or what was going to happen next. I just needed him to wake up first.

"Hey." Dean said coming into the room.

"Hey." I smiled at him.

"How're you holding up?" He asked.

"I'm okay. I've spent far too much time in hospitals lately but I'm okay. I wish your dad was here. He'd know what to do."

"Yeah he would. I wish he was here too." He said and put a hand on my shoulder.

"Evy?"

I looked at Riley. His eyes were open. "Riley…" I said and took his hand in mine. "Hi." I smiled at him. "How are you feeling?"

He closed his eyes, furrowing his brows. "I'm not sure. Everything's a bit fuzzy right now."

"They have you sedated." I told him. "You're in the hospital."

"What happened?" He asked.

"The spirits attacked you. But they're gone now. You don't need to worry about them anymore." I told him.

He nodded. "Okay."

"I'll get the doctor." Dean said and left.

"You're going to be okay." I smiled and ran my fingers through his hair. "You did good."

The doctor came in and examined him. They took him away for a short while to see if his internal bleeding had progressed at all. To my relief it hadn't. I stayed with him but something seemed to be off. He was still groggy but I could still sense that something was bothering him. I stayed and waited for him to wake up a bit.

"So, some fun this job is huh?" I said teasingly. He didn't say anything. "Riley…?"

"I pictured this heroic scene. I'd come to the rescue and I would save the day. I had this idea that it would somehow be glamorous but I was wrong." He said, finally looking at me.

"What are you saying?" I asked him.

"I'm not cut out for this." He told me. "I'm not cut out to be a hunter. Do you actually deal with this kind of stuff on a daily basis?"

"Not daily, but regularly, yes." I replied.

He gave a short laugh. "Yeah, see, I don't think I can handle it. I wanted to be there for you but I only risked both of our lives. I tried being brave and look where I'm at. I nearly died. You nearly died. I just don't think I can do it." He told me.

"What are you saying Riley?" I asked him again. "You don't want to come with me anymore?"

He looked at me and his expression softened. "No." He said softly. "I don't want to come with you anymore. I just want to go home. I was doing fine before I decided to try and become a demon fighter. I think I'll just go back to that."

I just looked at him and nodded. "Okay."

"Do you think I'm weak? That I'm a coward because I can't handle it?" He asked.

"No." I said standing up. I leaned over the bed. "If anything, you may be the smartest of us all." I smiled.

"Thank you. For everything you did." He said putting a hand on my arm.

"No, thank you. I couldn't have done it without you."

"Is that your way of trying to make me go?" He grinned.

"No, it's just the truth." I told him. "But you have to promise me that you'll call me every now and again. Let me know how you are. But most importantly, if anything should come up, if anything should happen, you _need _to call me."

"Than give me your number." He told me.

"All my information is in the rear right pocket of your pants." I smiled.

"You were touching my pants?" He grinned.

"Just promise me." I smiled.

"I promise." He told me seriously.

"Thank you." I told him. I leaned down and gently kissed his lips. "I'll see you around."

"Go kick some demon ass." He told me as I walked away from him.

I laughed and left the room. I found the boys in the cafeteria. They seemed a little surprised to see me.

"Is everything okay?" Sam asked.

"Everything's fine. Riley won't be coming with us." I told them.

"Why not?" Sam asked.

"It's his decision." Dean added.

"He's not cut out for the demon fighting world. He thought he was but this experience was an eye opener for him and he's just going to go home." I explained.

"All right than. Now we can get out of here." Dean said leading the way out of the hospital.

* * *

It was nice getting back into the Impala. I had missed the car and the company. I had to smile being with Sam and Dean again. Sam seemed happy to have me back and Dean couldn't deny that he wasn't happy either. He let a few emotions out and I had to give him credit for that. Now all we had to accomplish was making it through a day without fighting.

"Where to now?" I asked Dean as we started off.

"You tell me." He said.

"I haven't seen anything and you know it." I smiled at him.

"Then I guess we drive until we figure something out." He smiled.

We drove most of the day. Stopping here and there to see things or check on things that hinted at the supernatural. It got kinda long and our conversations ran out halfway through the drive. When we finally pulled into a hotel parking lot. I got out, slamming the door behind me.

"Isn't that my job?" Dean asked. "What's up?"

"I'm just frustrated." I replied. "My visions have never failed me before. I had them all the time. Now I've had hardly any. Is something going on out there that we're unaware of?"

"You know what we know." Sam said putting am arm around me.

"Yeah." I said resting my head on his shoulder. He kissed the top of my head. "We need to do something. Or do you want to try and research something?" I asked them.

"I say we find the nearest bar and get us something to eat and drink." Dean replied.

"I like that idea." I said bringing my things into the room.

The nearest bar was only a couple of blocks away. We walked over around seven. Music was playing and it was already half full. I grinned at my men before finding a seat near the pool table. Sam followed me as Dean got drinks. He came back with a tray of shot as well as a beer for everyone. I looked at the drinks happily and downed two shots. I went to the pool table and set it up, tossing Sam a stick. He just smiled and took a swig of his beer. Dean went to the dart board were a few other guys were already playing and started taking bets. I just smiled and brought my attention back to the game.

Several beers, hours, and games of pool later I was up three hundred dollars and Sam was sitting and watching me beat the several men that were around the table. I was getting drunker by the minute, drinking the shots that the men were buying me. They seemed to think that it would hinder my game but I sank the eight ball in the corner pocket and was handed another stack of twenties. I laughed and leaned against the table seeing who wanted to play next. It was nearly midnight and it looked like I had no takers. I smiled and went back to the table sitting across from Sam.

"Are you having fun?" Sam grinned at me.

"You know it. I love beating the big boys." I grinned back.

"You remind me of Dean. You about ready to get out of here?" He asked.

"You're not much for the bar are you?" I replied.

"Nah, that's Dean and your thing." He replied.

"I'm about ready. I just need to pee…again." I said and got up.

When I came back out I headed back to Sam. I stopped to talk to a guy I had met earlier in the evening when I heard commotion. I looked at Sam who was frowning. He stood up and the next thing I knew there was a full blown fight erupting from the dart board area. I saw Sam get punched. I yelled at them but I was closer to the main fight. I pushed through the crowd to see Dean and some big biker guy having it out. I rushed into the mix and grabbed Dean as they shoved each other.

"Dean, stop it!" I yelled trying to force him back.

He shoved me and I hit the crowd that sent me to the floor. I got to my feet and kicked the back of the biker guy's knees sending him to the floor. Dean took advantage of it and hit him hard, knocking him out. Dean immediately got into it with the guy's friend when I grabbed him again. I yelled his name but he was very much in the moment. He turned and punched me, hitting me right in the cheek. I fell to the floor dazed. I felt arms around my waist and I looked up into Sam's face. Dean was staring at me. He was jumped from the back and fell to the ground. I kicked his attacker in the face. He fell off of Dean. I grabbed his arm and helped him up before pushing him through the crowd. Once we were outside the bar I took a deep breath, heading back toward the hotel.

"Evy…" Dean said following me closely. "Evy wait."

I stopped and turned toward him. He took my chin in his hand and looked at the mark he left on my cheek. "I'm fine." I told him.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hit you." He told me gently touching it.

"It's fine. I know you didn't mean to. Let's just get back to the room." I told him, starting to walk away.

"Hey…" He said grabbing my arm. "Thank you for helping me out in there."

I smiled at him. "You're welcome. Besides, it looked like you needed it." He scoffed at me. I laughed and touched my fingers to his briefly.

It was a nice walk back. Sam had his arm across my shoulders with mine around his waist. I looked at Dean and grabbed his hand pulling him over to us. I put my arm around his waist. He grinned at me and his arm moved around my waist. I was completely content in this moment.

"I love my boys." I grinned looking at each of them.

Dean just shook his head and shoved me into Sam. I just laughed and let Sam go. He reached and grabbed my side. It tickled like hell and I ran from him. He chased me down, not stopping till I hit the room door and fumbled with the key. I couldn't get the door open. Sam leaned against the door, his arm on either side of me.

"It won't open." I laughed.

"Do you know how to work the key?" Sam grinned.

"Shut up." I said elbowing him.

I was still fumbling with it and Sam was watching me. "Should I take a walk, give you two some privacy?" Dean asked.

I looked up at Sam and he smiled sweetly. I looked away, concentrating harder on the key. "There, I got it." I said and the door opened.

We all filed in. I immediately grabbed a change of clothes and retreated into the bathroom. I came out and both of them looked like they'd been talking. I just smiled at them. I sat on the bed and for a moment it was awkward. Then my phone rang. I looked at the caller-id.

"Hmph." I said looking at it.

"What?" Sam asked.

"It's your dad." I said and flipped open my phone. "John?"

"Evy…" He replied.

I smiled at the sound of his voice. "How are you?" I asked him.

"Missing you." He replied. "And my boys. How are you?" He asked.

"I'm good. How are you?" I asked.

"I'm doing good. Hanging in there." He replied.

"But you're okay?" I asked. He didn't sound quite right.

"Just thinking about a lot of things. The deeper I get into this."

"Do you have any leads?" I asked.

Sam and Dean were staring at me quite adamantly. John didn't answer the question.

"I understand." I told him.

"I should go." He told me.

"Okay. I'll talk to you soon." I told him. "Be safe."

"I will. You too."

I hung up the phone and looked at the men in front of me. They both had questioning looks on their faces.

"He's doing well. Didn't relay any information. But he called, that's something." I said sitting next to Sam.

"Yeah, he called you." Dean said, his tone rough.

"Dean…" Sam told his brother with the same tone.

"It's fine." I told Sam.

"He calls you but he never once dials my number. He abandons me and Sam and he calls you."

"News flash Dean. He abandoned me too." I told him.

"But he didn't raise you."

"You're not going to go on to accuse me of wanting to sleep with him again are you?" I shot at him.

"What?" Sam asked and Dean just looked at me.

I sighed and looked at Dean. "I don't want to fight. That's all we do Dean. I'm sorry for the way all of this turned out but I can't change the past."

"I don't want the past to change I want the future to change. I want him to show up again and be a father. He left his family behind. He should be a man and come back." Dean replied.

"I know. I wish Jim didn't die so I could have sex with him again. We had great sex. But hey, I can't because he's dead." I told him in a tone that was meant to be slightly humorous. There was no reaction. I turned serious again. "Things happen, you can't control it. What you can control is you and the choices you make, the decisions. You have the power to change the world Dean. All you have to do is believe in yourself and let your dad go. I know you need to find him. I do to. But dwelling on him is not going to change anything. So, can we just find some middle ground here?" I finished.

"Did you talk this much with him?" Dean asked.

I smiled. "No, he was the one doing all the talking most of the time."

"Yeah…" Dean said and smiled.

"Are we good?" I asked him.

"Yeah, whatever." He said and got up, going into the bathroom.

Sam elbowed me gently. I looked at him and smiled. I put my arm through his and rested my chin on his shoulder. "I don't know how you put up with him sometimes."

"I don't know either." He smiled at me.

I kissed he cheek and crawled into bed. Sam laid next to me and shut off the light. I sighed and closed my eyes. Even though Dean pushed my buttons, Sam was kindhearted, and I was happy to feel like I was at home.

* * *

I woke up to the smell of coffee. I sat up to see Sam on his laptop and Dean was reading the paper. I got up and walked over to table. There were three coffee cups. I looked at the middle one, deciding whether to pick it up or not when without looking at me Dean picked up the cup and handed it to me.

"French Vanilla cappuccino with a little whip cream on top." He said before turning the page.

"You remembered." I smiled at him.

"It's hard to forget with all the complaining you did when I got it wrong." He stated.

I frowned at him before hitting the back of his head. He looked at me. I just smiled and rose a brow.

When we finally were on the road again, the dynamic in the car seemed more relaxed. I never blamed Dean for being mad at me for his father. I didn't like it but I didn't blame him.

After awhile the conversation died down. I forced Dean to stop on the side of the road that was overlooking a valley. It was beautiful and I could use a little beautiful. I got out of the car and leaned against the guardrail. Soon Sam was at my side smiling. I put my hand over his. I felt hands on my shoulders and an arm draped across them. I looked at Dean. He gave me a small smile and winked at me. I grinned at him. Something had changed. Something that was defiantly for the better.


	10. Hydrophobic

**Disclaimer: See chapter one.**

**A/N: So the next chapter is finally up. Hope you enjoy, added a version of an episode from the first season. Read and review please!**

* * *

_**Chapter Ten: Hydrophobic**_

Nearly a month had passed and the best we had done was get rid of a few vengeful spirits. It wasn't a bad day's work but at the same time it felt like there should be more. I knew that this job was unpredictable, but something new had to come up at some point.

"How old is he?" I asked a man I had stopped. He had a magnificent looking German shepherd dog by his side.

"Three." He replied with a smile.

"He's gorgeous." I said and stroked the dogs head. "I've always wanted a shepherd."

"They are great dogs. He's an awesome companion." He told me.

"Hey, Evy!" Dean called.

"I gotta go." I told the man. "Thank you for letting me pet your dog."

"Anytime." He smiled.

I smiled and walked over to where Dean was waiting for me. "What was that about?" He asked.

"I asked him if I could pet his dog." I replied.

"What is it with you and dogs?" He asked.

"Maybe we should get one." I told him with a smile.

"A dog? I don't think so sweet cheeks." He said with a short laugh.

"Oh come on. It'd be nice for me. It could protect me when you're not around."

"No. No dog is going to be ruining my car." He told me.

"I hate you." I told him frowning.

"Right back at ch'ya" He replied.

* * *

_There was a little boy on a dock. A lake stretching before him. He was reaching into the water to grab his little green army man that had fallen in. There was movement on shore but the scene stayed with the boy. He was just about to reach it when a slimy rotted arm shot out of the water, grabbing the boy's wrist. He was pulled from the dock and into the water. He didn't come back up._

I was gasping for air when my vision came back into focus. I wiped the water and hair out of my face. I heard the door burst open. I saw a figure through the shower curtain. The water falling over my knees. The curtain pushed aside and Dean was standing there looking at me.

"Dean!" I said trying covering myself.

"What happened?" He asked unscathed by the site of me.

"Get out of here!" I told him.

He grabbed me, pulling me from the tub. I looked behind him as Sam came in. He looked at me before turning away.

"Sam get out!" Dean yelled.

Sam left and I pulled away from Dean, grabbing a robe. I pulled it around myself and looked at him. My hands were shaking. I pushed the hair out of my face and looked at Dean.

"What were you thinking?" I yelled at him. "I was naked in the shower!"

"What was I supposed to do, huh? There was a big thud and then I heard you gasping. I didn't know what was going on. Did you want me just to ignore it?" He asked.

I looked at him, my expression softening. "I'm sorry. I was just…I don't know." I told him. "Thank you for worrying I guess."

"Was it a vision?" He asked.

"Yes, and it was a bad one. Only I'm not sure where it was. I'll have to wait and see if I get another one. I hope I get another one." I said rubbing my forehead where the ache was the strongest.

"What did you see?"

"A demon pulling a young boy into a lake." I replied. Dean just looked at me. "I know." I told him. "We need to save him Dean. He's just a boy." I felt tears in my eyes. The boy was so young. "He's just a boy."

"Don't worry, we will." He said opening his arms. I moved to him, putting my arms around him. He held me tight as I recovered from my vision.

* * *

We were sitting in a small diner. I was starving and yet nothing looked good on the menu. Sam and Dean were discussing what we were going to do about my vision. I was supposed to be helping but I couldn't get the boy out of my head. He was so young, not ten yet. He had barely started his life and now there was something out there that was going to steal it from him.

"You need to eat something." Sam told me.

"Not hungry." I replied.

"I know you're not but you need to eat. You haven't since yesterday." He told me softly.

"Just leave her alone huh." Dean said still looking at the menu.

Sam looked at Dean in a you're-not-helping sort of way. I looked at Dean but then looked at the water glass in front of me again. I sighed and asked Dean to move so I could get out of the booth. He did and Sam asked me where I was going but I didn't acknowledge his question. I went into the bathroom and leaned against the counter. I looked at my reflection.

"I don't recognize you." I told myself and turned away, leaving the room.

I went back to the table and Sam had an angry expression on his face. I frowned as Dean got up so I could slide back in. I didn't say anything. They became quiet and I looked between them.

Finally I sighed and asked, "What?"

"Nothing." Dean replied.

"We're worried about you." Sam told me.

"Tell me something new." I replied. Sam's worried face got even more worried. "You're going to give yourself wrinkles. What is it that you want to say?"

"We feel that you are taking these visions too personal. We can't save everyone and we have nothing to go on." He told me.

Anger boiled in my veins. I took a deep breath so my voice would remain steady. "I know we can't save everyone. But this isn't everyone. This is just a little boy who is going to be drowned by some kind of being. He is just a kid and I will not let him die. I will not have that put on my conscious." I told him. "I'll find him and I will save him so help me god." Sam just looked at me and Dean cleared his throat. "Are you ready to go?" I asked calmly.

"We'll grab something on the road." Dean said putting a little cash on the table and getting up.

Sam didn't say anything as we got up and left. I got into the car and the brothers did the usual talking over the car before getting in. I was waiting for Dean to start the car but both him and Sam just sat there.

"Are we going to move the car?" I asked him.

"Where are we going?" Dean asked me.

He had a good point. I had nothing to go on. All I saw was the act. I needed more to find this boy.

"Thank god." I said as the familiar pain started in my head.

"What?" Dean asked.

_The lake came into view. The sun shimmering across the surface, the wind causing ripples. There was a girl standing on dock. She looked out over the lake before diving in. She started swimming back-and-forth across the water. She stopped and looked around. She continued on but there was a sense of something present. Something was there. She stopped again and looked but still saw nothing. Only a few moments passed when she was pulled under the water. The ripples moved across the surface, a few air bubbles popping, but she never resurfaced._

I opened my eyes and took a deep breath. Dean was looking at me. I could see Sam in the side mirror and he was looking out the window worriedly. I looked at Dean and smiled.

"What?" Dean asked again.

"I have a lead." I told him getting out of the car.

I bought a paper and went back into the restaurant. Both men trailed behind and I got us another seat. The hostess seemed annoyed but I was polite. We sat down again and this time I ordered a big breakfast. As we waited I scanned the Obits and found who I was looking for.

"She's dead, how is that a lead?" Dean asked.

"Sophie Carlton. I just saw her die." I told him still smiling.

"I've never seen you so happy to see someone die." Dean frowned.

"She's already dead, there is nothing I can do about it, but it looked like it could be the same area. That and there has been three other drownings on the same lake. We need to go to Lake Manitoc, Wisconsin." I told them.

I ate my meal quickly and we left. Now that I knew where it was going to happen my spirits had been lifted. I knew the location so now I had the chance to save that little boy. I would save him.

* * *

I stayed in the car as Sam and Dean did their thing. They picked a name and a department and went out in search of information. Our first stop was the deceased girl's home. I saw them go into the house and only a few minutes later came out. They didn't have a lot to tell me. Will Carlton was Sophie's brother and he swore that he saw something pull his sister under, but wasn't positive. She had gone down a ways from shore. We drove into town to continue the search for information about what happened and why.

I was in the car in front of the sheriff's office. As I waited a young woman and her son walked past the car. At first I hardly acknowledged them, and then I noticed the boys red hair. My eyes locked onto him. He was the boy from my vision. I stared at him as he and his mom went through the doors. Only a few minutes later Sam and Dean came out with the boy's mom. They walked past the car and out of site. I just waited there, my eyes on the office doors. When Dean and Sam came back they got in and we drove to the motel only a couple blocks away.

"Who was that?" I asked Dean. "The woman you were with."

He looked at me. "What, are you jealous? I knew you digged me but –"

"Dean." I said flatly. "You're head's big enough. Like hell I'm jealous. I need to know who she is because her son is the one from my vision." I told him. Both just looked at me.

We got a room at the small motel and Sam took out his laptop to do research. There had been the three drownings this year as well as six others spread out over the past thirty-five years. As we read through the articles and one name stood out. Andrea's husband Chris was one of the victims. He had taken Lucas swimming. He was on a wooden platform when his dad drowned. He wasn't found for two hours afterward, Chris's body was never recovered. None of the bodies were.

"Maybe we have an eyewitness after all." Sam stated.

"No wonder that kid was so freaked out." Dean said sadly. "Watching one of your parent's die isn't something you just get over."

I looked at Dean and he gave me a small smile. I took his hand in mine and he pulled me into a hug. I took a deep breath and tried to keep it together. We didn't know what was going on and I never knew how much time we had before the death was to occur. I really wanted to save Lucas. I needed to save him. What help could I be if I couldn't save a little boy.

* * *

We left the motel, looking for Andrea and Lucas. We needed to know what Lucas saw. We spotted Andrea and Lucas at the park. She had never met me and I chose to be the first to approach her. Hoping that woman to woman kid chat might get her to tell me something.

"Hi, mind if I sit down?" I asked her. She was the only one on the bench. "Which one is yours?" I asked her.

"There, Lucas." She pointed at the redheaded boy.

"Yours?" She asked.

"I don't have any children. I just adore them and am writing my thesis paper on them. Parks are an excellent place for watching kids." She nodded. "Does Lucas not like the park?" I asked her. He wasn't playing at all.

"He's been through a lot. His dad passed away and ever since then he hasn't said a word."

"I'm so sorry." I told her.

"Thank you." She smiled at me.

Sam and Dean came up after that and as Sam and I talked to Andrea, Dean went and talked to Lucas. I couldn't keep my eyes off of the boy. He was so young and to have gone through everything he had gone through it was clear why he was the way he was. Andrea told us that the doctors thought that Lucas's lack of speech was just posttraumatic stress after what happened. It was hard to imagine after hearing his mom tell us how much life he had in him before his dad died that he had been any other way.

When we left he park there was a pain in my heart for this mother and child. Lucas had given Dean a picture of a house. We went back to the motel and tried to connect everything together. Sam left for a short while before coming back, telling us that Will Carlton was dead. He had drowned in the sink. Time was running out.

After Will's death we returned to Bill Carlton's house to see if he knew anything. He was more distraught than ever. He was sitting on the bench on the dock, falling apart. There was no talking to him. Both his children were dead and he was still alive. Nothing could be worse than that. But he wouldn't say anything; he just got even more upset, leaving us no choice than to leave him alone. He gave us no information but he seemed to be hiding something. He knew something but wasn't saying anything.

"Now what?" I asked them.

We were standing by the car. Dean got an odd expression on his face.

"What is it?" Sam asked.

"Huh, maybe Bill isn't the only one who knows something." Dean said and pulled Lucas's picture from the car. The picture was a depiction of Bill Carlton's house.

We drove to Andrea Barr's home. Lucas had drawn the Carlton house and we needed to know why, or how he knew to draw it. At first she refused to let us in to talk with Lucas but Dean managed to convince her otherwise. Lucas was upstairs in his room. When we walked in he was drawing pictures again, his army men nearby. Dean walked in and started to talk to him, trying to explain that we needed his help. He even mentioned Mary, and how horrible her death was for him but that he knew she would want him to be strong. My heart went out to both Dean and Lucas. Dean had let out a little bit of his past. Showing feelings he didn't normally share with the world. Lucas kept drawing. At first Lucas didn't look like he was even paying attention. Then he put his crayon down and looked up at Dean. He then picked a picture out of his stack, handing it to Dean. He thanked him and we left to find where Lucas's picture was.

"Wait…" I said as we walked to the car.

"What is it?" Sam asked.

"I think I'm going to stay here." I told them. "You two track down the house in the picture but I want to stay here and watch over Lucas and Andrea."

"All right. We'll be back." Dean said and got into the car.

I watched them drive away before turning back to the house. I took a deep breath before going back inside. I stood at the base of the stairs, looking up toward Lucas's room. Soon Andrea came down and was surprised to see me.

"What are you still doing here?" She asked me.

"They had a few things to do and I wouldn't be of any help. If you don't mind I was wondering if I could stay here for a few hours." I told her.

She smiled, "Of course you can. I could use the company."

We went into the kitchen and got a cup of coffee. She went about her housework and I went to check on Lucas. He was still coloring. It seemed like he never stopped. When I went back downstairs Andrea was sitting at the table.

"Have Dean and Sam found anything yet?" She asked.

"No, not really. They're following a lead that will hopefully tell us more." I replied.

There was little talking. I didn't know what to say to her that didn't end with me telling her that I saw her son die. I hoped I would never have to tell her. That I could same him and then move on. I just hoped that we figured out what was going on before it was too late.

* * *

Sam and Dean had been gone for a while and I went up to Lucas's room. He was busy making his drawings, his army men sitting nearby. I leaned against the doorframe and watched him. He didn't look up at me. He didn't seem to care that I was there. After I watched him for a while I walked in and sat in front of him, taking an orange crayon and a blank piece of paper. I started to doodle. Making the usually house with a yard, all the things you were supposed to draw as a kid.

"I miss coloring." I told him. "I used to love to color. Now I have to deal with all of the scary things out there." He looked up at me. "I know that there are scary things. Things that hurt your dad, things that tried to hurt you. Things that are hurting the people in this town." I said and paused. "I'm sorry Lucas. I'm so sorry that this is happening to you." He just looked at me before going back to his drawing.

I sighed and continued with my own coloring, waiting for Sam and Dean to return, hopefully with good news. It was getting late in the afternoon and Andrea wanted to take some dinner to her father. The news was on the TV and we heard that Bill Carlton was dead. It was a shock, knowing that people were dying, slowly dwindling down to nothing, leaving Andrea and Lucas next. Sam had called and let me in on what was going on. Bill was connected to a boy that died when he was twelve. Bill was the same age and there was some connection between him and the boy, Peter's, death. They thought the job was done. The spirit had been after Bill and now that he was dead there was no reason to believe that there was any danger. I told him that there was still Lucas to worry about but Sam told me that we didn't know what it meant but as far as the facts went it was over. I told him it wasn't but there was no convincing him. I didn't have anything to add so I had to accept the fact that maybe they were right. I helped Andrea with Jake's dinner and we drove to his office. He wasn't there so we sat and waited. Soon the doors opened and the sheriff came in, Dean and Sam behind him. Andrea was surprised to see them and we all stood there in a kind of uneasy moment. Jake told her that he didn't have time for dinner. Little more was said when Lucas started to get scared and he grabbed Dean's arm, pulling on him, almost crying but not saying a word. Dean and Andrea calmed him down and Andrea took him from the office. I followed her.

"Andrea…" I said stopping her.

"I am sorry. He's upset. I'm just going to take him home." She told me.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" I told her.

"No, but thank you." She said and walked away.

I stood there and waited for Sam and Dean. It didn't take them long to come out and both of them looked angry.

"What is it?" I asked them.

"We're getting run out of town." Dean told me.

"We can't leave." I told him.

"I know." He snapped, looking at me. "But we don't have a lot of options right now."

"Dean…" I said grabbing his arm as he started to walk away. "We can't leave."

He pulled away from me and got into the car. I sighed and followed, not knowing what else to do. We went to the motel and packed our things. We loaded everything into the car and Dean headed out of town.

"You know this is a mistake." I told him.

"I know what you saw but it was Bill the spirit was after. We didn't find anything on Jake." Sam told me.

We stopped at a red light. It turned green but Dean didn't move the car. Sam pointed it out to him and Dean turned the opposite direction. I grinned at him as we drove back into town. He winked at me through the rearview mirror. We went to Andrea's and for a moment just stood outside her door. Sam kept asking if it was a good idea. I just glared at him and it wasn't just me, Dean needed to know that Lucas was okay. He had barely touched the doorbell when the door flew open and Lucas stood in front of us, panicked. He grabbed Dean's arm and we rushed in, following him up the stairs, water was pouring down them. Lucas led us to the bathroom door and Dean broke the door down. The tub filled to the brim with murky water. Sam rushed to the tub and put his arms into it. Lucas tried to go toward his drowning mother but Dean stopped him. We watched as Sam fought against the force holding her under, but prevailed, both falling to the floor. Andrea gasped for air, coughing the water out of her lungs. I looked at Dean and he just looked back. We stayed with them throughout the night, knowing that it wasn't over yet. Andrea was freaked out, thinking she was going crazy. She thought she had heard a voice saying 'come play with me.' Sam and I sat with her at the kitchen table. I put my hand on her arm. She was calming down until Dean came up with an old picture book. He asked her if she recognized any of the kids. She pointed out her dad, who was standing next to Peter. It was clear that the connection was not only to Bill but also to the sheriff.

"Lucas, what is it?" Dean asked him. The boy was standing in front of the door, staring out the window.

He opened the door and walked out. We followed him until he stopped on a patch of land and looked up at Dean. I exchanged glances with the brothers. Dean told Andrea and Lucas to go back to the house and Dean and Sam grabbed shovels. I stood aside and watched as they dug and revealed a red bike that had been buried there.

"How did you know that was there?" Jake asked us.

"What happened? You and Bill killed Peter, drowned him in the lake, and buried the bike?" Dean asked him. "You can't bury the truth Jake. Nothing stays buried."

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about?" He asked.

"You and Bill killed Peter Sweeny thirty-five years ago. That's what the hell we're talking about." Dean told him angrily.

I stood and listened to them argue. Jake denied it until it was clear that there was no going around it. He told us that we were crazy but he knew that it was true. The sheriff looked around. Andrea had come back out and she looked terrified. She confronted him about what we were telling her and she asked if he had anything to do with Peter. Jake explained what had happened. He and Bill had bullied him. It got rough this time and they held Peter under the water. Only they held him under too long and he drowned. They had let the body go in the water. I was shocked at what I had just learned. The poor boy killed and left to rot in the water. I ran my fingers through my hair and looked toward the house. Lucas had been watching us through the window, he was no longer visible. I took a few steps toward the house and saw him walking onto the dock.

"Shit. Lucas!" I yelled and ran toward the dock.

"Lucas! Honey stay where you are!" Andrea yelled.

"Lucas!" I yelled as I neared the dock.

He had dropped one of his green army men into the water. He was leaning far over to try and reach it. As I neared the dock I could see a ripple on the surface of the water right below his outstretched fingers. Panic started to flow through me. This was my vision. In only seconds he was going to be grabbed. I didn't know if I would be able to make it before it happened. I ran onto the dock and was only feet away from him when his arm was grabbed. I grabbed him before he was pulled in, pulling him from the corpses grasp. I fell back onto the dock, Lucas in my arms.

"Evy!" I heard Sam yell.

"Lucas! Run!" I said and pushed him away from me. "RUN!" I yelled as he ran toward his mother.

"Evy! Get off the dock!" Dean yelled to me.

I got to my feet and was about to run when my ankle was grabbed. I fell onto my stomach and looked back at the arm that had a hold of me. He was pulling me in; I couldn't loosen his grip.

"Sam!" I yelled as I held tight to the dock, trying to hang on long enough. "DEAN!" I screamed as my fingers slipped and I was immersed in water.

I struggled against the spirit but it kept pulling me down. I didn't know how deep the water was but I knew that it wasn't looking good for me. I survived one thing only to be killed by the next. I heard two splashes but I couldn't see anything above me. The water was getting colder and my lungs were starting to burn with the lack of oxygen. I tried to hold my breath for as long as possible but the pain was starting to be too much. For a second I lost control and water filled my nostrils. I tightly closed my eyes and gave one last effort to pull away. The fingers loosened and I was free from his grasp. For a moment I thought I was going to be alright. I made a swim for the surface only my oxygen deprivation was too much. I tried to keep swimming as water started to fill my lungs. The pain was immense as my mind started to fog and my limbs felt heavy. Soon the world went black and I drifted away.

* * *

"Did you find her?" Andrea asked.

Sam shook his head as he treaded water. Dean broke the surface. "Anything?" Sam asked.

"No. DAMN IT!" Dean said angrily.

"Dean…" Sam said looking at his brother. He didn't want it to be true but minutes had already gone by.

Dean looked back and shook his head. "No." He said and dove under the surface.

He swam toward the bottom of the lake, not willing to give up. He was nearly out of breath when he saw her. Her arm outstretched. He grabbed her hand and pulled her against him. He swam to the surface, breaking it, gasping for air. Sam's eyes grew wide and he swam to his brother, Evy's limp form in his arms. They swam to the dock, pulling her out of the water.

"Oh my God…" Andrea said as she looked at the girl who had saved her son.

"Evy…" Dean said with his hand on her face.

"She's not breathing." Sam said aloud.

Dean looked at Sam before gently lifting her chin. He gently opened her mouth and pinched her nose as he gave her two breaths. He gave her two more before looking at her. Her skin was tinted blue, her lips slightly parted from him breathing for her. He put his hands on her chest and had to look away before starting the chest compressions. Sam, Andrea, and Lucas watched as Dean continued to perform CPR on Evy's lifeless form. Agony was written on his face as she remained unconscious.

"Come on!" Dean said and gave her two more breaths.

"Dean…" Sam said and looked at him.

"I know." Dean said and started the compressions again. He gave her two more breaths. Still nothing happened. He went to give her two more when her body convulsed slightly and she started to cough up water.

* * *

I heard voices in the distance as I slowly began to realize what was going on. Water started to pour out of my mouth. I gasped for air and I was turned onto my side. When the water stopped I gasped as I tried to catch my breath. I was turned onto my back and I heard Dean telling me to take shallow breaths. I listened and when I felt like I could I opened my eyes. Dean was soaked and he smiled down at me.

"Hi." He said softly.

"Dean…" I said and put my hands on his arms.

"Thank God…" He said and pulled me up into his arms.

I put my arms around his neck, holding him tightly. I closed my eyes as his grip tightened around me. I was shaking but his hold on me was comforting. I felt a hand on my arm. I opened them and Sam was looking at me with a scared expression.

"Sammy…" I said putting my hand on his cheek.

"We need to get you some swimming lessons." Dean said jokingly. His smile quickly faded and he looked at me seriously. "You really scared me this time." He added quietly, looking me in my eyes, his hands on the sides of my head.

"Me too." Sam said pulling me into his arms, his hand on the back of my head.

Dean helped Sam get me onto my feet. I leaned against Sam, unable to stand on my own. My head was foggy and I closed my eyes. "Lucas?" I said and looked at Sam. He glanced behind me and I looked to see Andrea and Lucas standing there. "Are you okay?" I asked him. He nodded, rushing to me and throwing his arms around my waist. "Thank God." I said and held him tight.

"Thank you, so much." Andrea said hugging me as well.

"You're welcome." I smiled at her. "Jake?" I asked, realizing that he wasn't there.

"He's gone." Sam told me. Andrea's eyes filled with tears and she pulled Lucas against her.

I frowned and shut my eyes. I tried to walk but was too weak. My knees gave out but I was caught by Dean who lifted me into his arms.

"Come on. Let's get you away from the water." He told me and walked off of the dock.

He brought me into the house and laid me on the couch. I was shaking from the cold. Dean sat on the edge and looked down at me. He frowned and put the back of his fingers on my forehead, a concerned look on his face.

"Here are some blankets." Andrea said handing them to Sam. Dean took them from him and started to put them over me. Sam frowned at his brother.

"How are you feeling?" Dean asked me.

"Weak." I replied. "And tired." I added. "And cold."

"We should get her to the hospital." Sam said softly.

"No! I don't want to go to the hospital." I said grabbing Dean's arm. "Please…"

"It's fine. You're going to be okay." Dean said putting his hand on my cheek. "Just try and relax." He told me and turned to Sam. "A word?"

Dean and Sam walked out of the room leaving me with Andrea and Lucas. I closed my eyes, feeling so tired. I was just about asleep when I felt a small hand on my arm. I opened them to see Lucas looking down at me.

"Thank you." He said quietly.

I took his hand and squeezed it gently. "Any time." I smiled.

Dean and Sam reappeared both not looking very happy. "I'm taking you to the hospital." Sam said as he uncovered me.

"Sam, she's fine." Dean said stopping him.

"What if she's not?" Sam said. "I'm not willing to risk it."

"I'm fine." I said stubbornly, slowly standing up. "My chest is sore, it kinda hurts to breath but I'm kinda thinking that's normal after one drowns and all. Let's not ruin the happy moment of me not dying, okay?" I asked. "Look, I'm standing on my own and everything. Sam, I'm fine." I told him.

"You're not fine. You just don't realize it." He told me.

"When did you become all paranoid?" I asked him. "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? You nearly died, that's what wrong." He replied angrily.

"Step in any time Dean." I told him.

"He has a point." He told me. "You know how we feel about you being in danger. This was bad." He told me.

"I was nearly stabbed through the heart not too long ago. I thought that was bad."

"But this time it was even closer." Dean told me.

"Dean had to do CPR on you." Sam told me.

I looked at Dean and he met my eyes, they penetrated me in a way they never have before. It scared me a little. I was still shaking and all of a sudden I didn't know what to say to them. I sighed and walked up to Sam, putting my hand on his cheek. I gently kissed his lips before putting my arms around his neck.

"I'm going to be okay." I told him, gently stroking the back of his head. "I have you and Dean watching out for me. I'm in good hands. I'm not going anywhere any time soon." I said looking him in the eyes. "Just keep me away from water for a while." I smiled. He grinned and hugged me again.

We decided to stay at the house overnight. Andrea was kind enough to lend me her spare room to rest in. I was tired and weak but I couldn't sleep. I always had a pair of eyes watching over me. Sam was the first to take watch. He sat in a chair staring at me. I was on my side staring back at him.

"Don't look so worried." I told him.

"I'm not going to lie to you. I was scared." He replied.

"You're not the only one. I was just as scared if not more. It hurts to drown."

"So you remember it? Up until the blacking out part?" He asked.

I nodded. "Mm-hm."

"If you can help it, don't do anything like that again." He told me.

I smiled at him. "As long as you have my back there's no need to worry. Besides, it wasn't my plan to drown. My plan was to save Lucas. I did that, so I can't deny that I'm pretty happy."

"You did save him. He's even talking now. He's talking Dean's ear off as we speak." He smiled.

"I bet he's loving that." I said and rolled my eyes. "Since he loves kids so much."

Sam laughed. "Yeah, I think he's liking them a little more after all this."

The lighthearted conversation ended after that and I couldn't help but think how close it really was. I hadn't let myself give it much thought. But as I lay there the feelings and emotions that were running through me at the time it happened came back and I couldn't help but let it all out. Tears sprung to my eyes and I covered my face with my hand. Sam rushed to me. I put my hand on his arm. He laid down next to me and held me gently in his arms. I cried into him, shaking with the fear that I finally let myself grasp. I was so tired and yet I was so afraid. I cried until I fell asleep, Sam's arms still around me.


	11. The Power of Fear Part I

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Supernatural.**

**A/N: Okay, I have a grand total of 4 reviews. That must be the most depressing number of reviews that exists. Either my story sucks or people are too lazy to review. I would LOVE it if the ones who read the story could review for me. It would be so great that no words would be able to describe how grateful I would be. No one has said anything bad about it so if you have a negative thought tell me so maybe I can make it better. ANYTHING would make me happy. So PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review! I would REALLY REALLY REALLY appreciate it!**

_**

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**__**Chapter Eleven: The Power of Fear Part I**_

Once morning came we got an early start. I didn't want to impose on Andrea and her son any more than we had. I was still weak and I looked like shit but I was mobile and that was good enough for me. Sam was my shadow but it didn't bother me as much as I thought it would. I had to admit that I was afraid of being alone. I didn't want to cut it that close again and with him constantly at my side it would be hard for anything to happen to me. Sam wasn't the only one. Dean was also watching my every move, only he watched at a distance.

"Saying goodbye are they?" I asked Sam. Dean, Andrea, and Lucas were standing by the impala.

"Must be." He said looking at me.

"You're still wearing the concerned face." I told him.

"I know." He said and looked away.

"You can stop any time now."

"Once I know you're okay." He replied.

"When are you going to realize that I'm fine? Because I am, really." I told him.

"I know." He said again and pulled me against him.

"I'm hungry." I told him.

"Come on." He said and we walked to the car.

"Thank you again." Andrea said and hugged me.

"You're welcome." I smiled at her.

"Me too." Lucas smiled at me.

"You be good. Take care of yourself." I told him. He nodded. "Good." I smiled.

"Ready?" I asked Dean. He nodded.

The final goodbyes were said and Dean turned the radio on as we left town. We drove for hours, not really knowing where we were going. I slept most of the way, not feeling like doing anything else. Sam and Dean hardly talked. At one of our stops I switched spots with Sam and laid across the back seat. I closed my eyes, trying to catch some sleep when I head Dean and Sam talking.

"I'm worried." Sam told his brother.

"You're always worried." Dean replied.

Sam gave a short laugh. "Yeah, I guess I am. But she nearly died."

"I know." Dean replied sadly.

"We should send her home." Sam told him.

"Yeah, we probably should but you try telling her that."

"I was hoping you would." Sam smiled.

Dean laughed. "I'm not telling her anything."

"What, are you afraid of her?"

"She could kick both our asses if she wanted to. She was taught by dad just like us. Plus she has army skills from her military man. I'm not going to piss her off. She'd never leave anyway. Besides, we need her visions and she needs us to help with them. If one of the people she saw died she'd never forgive herself."

"Yeah I know." Sam replied.

"That's not all of it though. What is this really about?" Dean asked him.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean."

"It's nothing." Sam replied looking out the widow.

"It's not nothing. Just tell me what it is."

"I think I might be falling for her." Sam told his brother.

I kept still as I listened to them talk, doing my best not to let on that I was awake.

"Falling for her? You?" Dean said and laughed. "I never thought I'd see you fall for anyone after Jess."

"Yeah, I guess it's possible." He smiled.

"How does she feel about you?" Dean asked.

"I don't know. Sometimes I think there might be something there and the next I don't. Sometimes I think she's still getting over Jim and sometimes I think she's into dad. Half the time I think she's into you." He replied.

Dean laughed. "She's not into me." He told him.

"I don't know. The way she looks at you sometimes…" He said and looked at his brother. "And the way you look at her."

"Hey, don't bring me into this. If you want her you can have her." Dean replied.

"You're lying." Sam told him.

"I don't like you." Dean told his brother.

"I don't like you either."

They were quiet for a few minutes, enough time for me to pretend to just wake up. I sat up and ran my fingers through my hair.

"Morning." Dean smiled.

I smiled at him through the rearview mirror. Sam turned around and looked at me. I smiled at him before looking out the window. I didn't know how I felt about the new information I had just learned. I rubbed my face and scooted low in the seat.

"How long did I sleep?" I asked.

"Few hours." Sam replied.

"You guys want to stop for a while?" I asked.

Dean turned and looked at me. "Sure." He smiled.

I stared at him a moment, his tone sounding worried. Sam turned his head and looked at me. I just smiled in a way telling him to knock it off. We stopped at a small diner in the next town we went through. As soon as the car stopped I got out. I walked toward the road, away from the diner and the car. I took out my phone and opened it dialing someone I hadn't in a while.

"I didn't think you'd pick up." I told the voicemail. "I wanted to talk to you. I had a hard time yesterday and I wanted to hear your voice. John, when you get this if you could call me I could really use a pick me up. Miss you…" I said and hung up.

"Are you okay?" Dean asked me.

I looked at him and fought the lump that formed in my throat. I nodded and looked at the ground. "I'm fine." I finally got out.

"What is it? Who were you talking to?" He asked.

I smiled and looked at him. "I was calling your dad but he a…didn't answer."

"What's wrong?"

"Dean, I don't really want to talk about it right now. I just have a lot on my mind." I told him flatly.

He nodded and looked at me. "Okay. You wanna get something to eat?"

"Yeah, I should eat." I told him.

We went into the diner and Sam already had a booth and coffee waiting for us. I sat down and took a long drink out of the cup. I rested my head on my hand and stirred cream and sugar into the cup. The waitress came and I told her what I wanted. I stared into the cup not wanting to talk or to look at the two men who I knew were watching me. When our food came I ate about half of it before loosing my appetite. I moved from the booth and went to the bathroom. I just felt off. Everything felt as if it were a dream. I put my hands on the sink and almost immediately started shaking. I started to sob, not knowing where it was coming from. I sobbed until I felt sick, rushing into a stall and emptying my stomach into it. I slid to the floor and sobbed into my knees, rocking myself back and forth. I sobbed until I couldn't anymore. When the tears finally stopped I sat there and waited for my shaking to stop and the redness around my eyes to diminish. When I thought I was okay to leave I went back to the booth.

"Ready to go?" I asked them.

They just looked at me. Dean put some money on the table and we left. I got into the back seat of the Impala and waited for them to get in. They were talking over the car. I sighed and rested my head on my hand. When they finally got in we headed on the road again. Sam had gotten a paper and he was going through the obits.

"I might have something here." Sam announced. "Two people were beaten to death in their own bathroom. The door was locked and both victims were the only one inside. Says here that there were witnesses to both, they were trying to get into the room. They heard yelling inside of the bathroom and then numerous blows before the yelling stopped, the door unlocked, and the bodies were found inside." He finished.

"Hm, where's it at?" Dean asked.

"Smeltings, Tennessee." He replied.

"We're close." Dean said as Sam pulled out the map.

A nearly half a day later we were pulling into the motels parking lot. I sighed and got out of the car. It looked just like all the other places we'd stayed at. I brought my bag in and went into the bathroom. I sat on the edge of the tub and took a deep breath. The knot was in my throat again. I waited for it to go away before flushing the toilet and washing my hands before going back out. I didn't want to be drilled for taking a little time to myself. I laid on the bed and looked at the clock. It was only eight but I was beat. I changed my clothes and crawled under the covers. I didn't hog the bed but hoped that maybe the brothers would share a bed for once. I wasn't going to tell them to but I hoped that they might think of it all on their own. I fell asleep but was woken up when the lights went out and someone crawled in next to me. I just closed my eyes and tried to get some more sleep.

_I was running through the trees. Afraid of something, running as fast as I could. I looked behind me before the ground gave way and water surrounded me. I didn't get a chance to take a breath before I sunk deeper and deeper into the cold water. I fought to break the surface but I couldn't reach it. A figure appeared through the ripples and I stared at it, waiting for it to help me. The ripples on the surface smoothed and Dean's face appeared. He was yelling my name but I couldn't hear him. His arm was reaching out for me but I couldn't reach him. The surface shifted as he reached for me. I swam as hard as I could, my fingers just touching the tips of his when water filled my lungs and fear spilled into me._

I shot awake, sitting up, breathing hard. I ran my fingers through my sweaty hair and put a hand on my chest. A hand touched my back and another on my arm.

"Evy…"

I looked into Dean's eyes. "I'm okay. It's fine." I told him.

"Was it a vision?" He asked.

I shook my head. "No, just a nightmare." I told him. "Scary though."

"It's alright." He said putting my hair behind my ear. "Come on, lay back down."

I looked at Sam who was still sleeping in the bed next to us. I looked at Dean and laid back. I was on my side, facing him. He looked at me and gently caressed my face. I put my hand on his and took a deep breath. My eyes felt heavy but I was afraid to shut them. I gently rubbed his face with my thumb, my eyes never leaving his.

"You're safe." He told me and kissed my forehead.

"Can you just hold me for a while?" I asked him.

He nodded and kissed my forehead again as he pulled me into him. I rested my head on his chest and tried to fall asleep. He gently ran his fingers through my hair. I thought about my dream and what had happened and I felt so grateful to Dean. I held tight to him until I finally fell asleep.

* * *

When I woke up the bed was half empty and Sam was still asleep across the way. I sat up and looked over at him. I made a decision and got out of bed and crawled into the other. I still felt tired and I didn't want to be alone. Sam woke up as I slid under the covers with him and he looked at me.

"Hey." He said looking at me.

"Hi." I replied.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Can you do me a favor and stop asking me that? I am so sick of hearing those words." I replied.

"Sorry."

"Don't apologize, just stop asking me that. I'm fine and I'm going to stay fine." I told him.

"Are you hungry?" He asked.

"Not really. I just don't want to be alone." I told him.

"Come here." He said and pulled me against him.

I rested my head on his arm. We laid there only a few minutes before Sam moved away from me. I frowned and rolled over grabbing the TV remote. I turned on the TV to see a movie playing. Nothing else was catching me so I left it on. When Sam came out of the bathroom I took my turn and jumped into the shower. When I pushed back the curtain Sam was standing there brushing his teeth.

"Sam!" I said grabbing a towel.

"Sorry, I thought you'd take longer." He replied.

"You could've said something." I told him angrily and went into the other room. "Men. I need to find more girl friends." I told myself as I pulled on my clothes.

"Hey!" Dean said as he came into the room.

"Tell me you have coffee." I told him as I turned around. "Thank God." I said as he handed me a cup.

"You don't look happy." Dean frowned at me.

"Your brother decided that it would be fun to share the bathroom while I was in the shower. Didn't tell me though, so when I pulled back the curtain Sam got a little show." I told him. Dean laughed and shook his head. "It's not funny."

"It's a little funny." Dean smiled at me.

"I'm going for a walk." I told him.

"No you're not." Dean replied.

"I don't need to be protected Dean. It's just a walk." I told him and left the room.

I took a drink of my coffee and smiled. We were close to the outskirts of town and I found a trail that went past a ranch that could be seen from the motel. I stopped and stood at the fence and watched as the horses ran around the pasture. They ran past me, a rush of wind flowing over me. I smiled and breathed in the animals scent. They slowed down and one noticed me. It walked up and stuck his head out to smell me. I put out my hand and he smelled it before gently nibbling my palm. I laughed and stroked his neck.

"Can I tell you something?" I asked the horse. "I overheard them talking. They want to send me home. Normally I would refuse in about two microseconds. That's why I know that I'm not okay right now, because going home sounds pretty good. Except for the fact that I don't have a home right now. I thought I'd be with John and the boys for who knows how long. But I can't do this anymore." I said as I stroked the horse. "I am so scared. I have never been this scared in my life. I don't think I can fight demons anymore. I am just too afraid of what could happen. If I had it my way I'd convince the boys to run too. I just don't know what to do." The horse nickered and bobbed his head a little. "You're right. I should just get over it. The greater good needs me. I have a responsibility to the innocents that are going to be killed by the demons that are out there." I said and looked at the horse, nodding. "I'm glad we had this chat." I said and stroked the horse's neck before heading back to the motel.

"You're back, good." Dean told me. Both him and Sam were in suits, ready to go do their thing. "Are you coming with?"

"Yeah, I'll come." I smiled and changed into a more sophisticated outfit.

We drove to the first of the victims' houses and the boys showed off their badges. I had a note pad in my hands and played the note taker for the interview.

"I know this must be difficult for you but I need you to try and tell me what happened." Dean told Mr. Jacobson.

"Like I told the other investigator. Marie was in the bathroom. I was in the bedroom talking to her. We were just talking when the door slammed shut all on its own. I went to the door but it wouldn't open. I heard her ask me what was going on. Then the screaming started. It sounded like she was being thrown against the walls. She kept screaming and when she finally stopped the door unlocked and the door cracked open. She was lying on the floor, blood was everywhere. She wasn't breathing so I tried to revive her but she didn't come back to me." He finished and fought the wetness that had come to his eyes.

"I am so sorry." I said sitting next to him, putting my hand on his arm. "I am so sorry that this happened to you."

"Thank you." He said and put his hand over mine.

"I know this is hard but, ah, can you remember anything else about what happened?" Dean asked him. I frowned at him and he gave me a little shrug.

"I think we have everything we need." I told Mr. Jacobson.

"Thank you." He told me again and stood, walking from the room.

"What are you doing?" Dean whispered to me.

"He's a wreck. He told us everything he knows. What did you expect him to tell you? Did you want him to tell you what if felt like to breathe for his wife?" I shot at him.

"No. I know what that feels like." He said and walked away from me.

I crossed my arms and any confidence I had regained drained out of me. Tears came to my eyes and I took a deep breath trying to push them away. Sam had checked every inch of the bathroom but he didn't find anything. We got back into the Impala before driving over to the second victims' house.

"I don't want to go in there." I told the boys.

"Why?" Dean asked.

"If it's another story like the Jacobson's, I don't know if I can listen to it. What could be worse than listening to someone you love die?" I said and looked at him.

"I don't know." Dean said and got out of the car. I sighed and followed him. "Hi Mr. Bullock, I'm Detective Jones and this is Detective Dodgeson. We're here to talk about your wife's death." He explained.

"Why? I already talked to the cops. What more do you need to know?" He asked. He looked horrible. He was wearing a t-shirt and sweatpants. He had a grungy robe covering them up.

"We're sorry. We know how hard this is for you, but we need to clarify a few things in your statement." Sam told him as gently as he could.

"Fine." He said and pushed open the door.

We walked in and were led to the living room that was littered with beer bottles and garbage from him foraging for food. He sat down in his recliner and played the tape he had been watching. It was home videos of him and his wife. Tears came to my eyes and I cleared my throat as they did their thing.

"Where did it happen?" Dean asked Mr. Bullock.

"Upstairs." He replied.

Dean nodded and looked at Sam and me before heading toward the stairs. I looked at him and looked back at Mr. Bullock and the video he was watching. At the moment it was their wedding day.

"I know this is difficult but I need you to go over what happened with me." Sam told Mr. Bullock.

"She was in the bathroom. I was getting ready for a big meeting that I had. I had to fly to Baltimore for a week. I just got promoted and had been working late every night and when I was home I had so much work to do that I never spent time with her. Jackie was the love of my life. I loved her so much. I took her for granted." He told us.

"What happened after you got ready?" Sam asked.

"I finished getting my suit on and yelled to her that I was leaving. We got into a fight. She was standing in the bathroom while I was in the bedroom. We were yelling at each other when the door slammed shut and the next thing I knew she was screaming. I heard her get slammed against the door and there were things breaking inside the room. I tried to kick the door down but it wouldn't budge. When she finally stopped screaming the door unlocked and opened, just enough for me to see her. There was a lot of blood. She was dead on the floor. I called an ambulance and they tried to bring her back but she was gone." He finished. I saw him clench his jaw before he looked up at us. "Is that what you wanted to hear?" He asked angrily. "Get out of my house."

"Okay." I said and nodded. "I'm sorry for your loss."

I went upstairs and found Dean before quickly making an exit. This man was clearly unstable and I didn't want to stay any longer than I had to. When we were outside we didn't have a lot to go on. Both were married and in both cases it was the women who was killed. We didn't know what was doing it but we needed to figure it out.

"Okay. What connection do these two women have?" Sam asked as we poured over an old newspaper site.

"It can't be the house since it happened it two houses. An affair?" I asked looking at Dean.

"Possible but unlikely unless it was the women who were having an affair." He replied.

"Alright, so it's not that." I said and sat down, resting my chin in my hand. "Maybe it's some invisible guy who has a thing for murdering women." I said before stopping and thinking about it. "Weirder things have happened." I told them.

"Who would it be?" Sam asked.

"I don't know. Some science geek who made himself invisible and started murdering people. Is there any history that shows that this has happened before?" I asked him.

"No." Sam replied.

"So you come up with a better scenario." I told him.

"There was the shadow demon." Dean stated.

"See." I said and smiled.

"Glad to have you back Evy." Sam grinned and started to research.

I smiled but on the inside I wished that he hadn't said it. I took a walk to the small café nearby and brought us all back a dose of caffeine. We were up most of the night when we finally came across a missing person who simply vanished. His name was Todd Henderson, twenty-three, a science major at the community college. He had been working with his professor for over a year on some special project that no one seemed to know about. His professor was Helen Hawkins. She was in her late thirties. The two of them had an affair but when she broke it off she was found dead in her bathroom after taking a beating.

"Guess we found our murderer." I stated.

"But that was five years ago. Why start killing now?" Sam asked.

"Maybe because he's finally gone completely psycho." Dean replied. "Let's go." He said and made his way to the library door.

"But we have no idea who he's going after next." I told him.

"We have an address for a Todd Henderson. We'll start there." He replied.


	12. The Power of Fear Part II

**Disclaimer: Nothing taken from Supernatural belongs to me.**

**A/N: Here is the next chapter. Thanks to all my reviewers. It really keeps me going. Any feedback anyone wants to give will be most appreciated.**

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_**Chapter Twelve: The Power of Fear Part II **_

"Okay, that was horrible." I said as we left Todd Henderson's home.

"It could've been worse." Sam said positively.

"How?" Dean asked. Sam shrugged.

It had been a total disaster. Todd had blown up at us at the mention of Helen's name. He still wasn't over her and it was clear that he wasn't going to cooperate with us in any way. It was also clear that he knew something that he wasn't telling us. Nothing was pointing away from him but there wasn't enough to tell us that it was for sure him. We spent the next two days searching for a connection or something that we missed when there was another murder, only this time it was a young woman in a house rented by college students. It was her boyfriend who was there when it happened. When we arrived at the scene Todd was seen amongst the crowd, a grin plastered across his face. We went to confront him again but vanished before we could reach him. We went back to the room trying to decide what to do next.

"He can turn it on and off." I stated as we talked about it.

"Yeah, but how?" Dean asked.

"He majored in science. It was probably the project that he and Helen were working on." Sam replied.

"I'm going to go back to the house. You two stay here." Dean said.

"What do you expect to find?" I asked him.

"No idea, but we need to do something." He said and left.

"He's just frustrated." Sam told me.

"You don't need to tell me." I replied. "I know he's frustrated. I am too. This sucks."

"I know."

"I'm just so restless. Not only that but we're not getting anywhere and he's killing people."

"Hey, just relax." Sam said putting his hands on my arms.

"I can't. I feel useless and we don't know how to stop him."

"Just relax." He told me again.

"I'm going to the house. Dean shouldn't be there alone." I told him. "You coming?"

"No, I'm going to stay here and try and figure something out."

"Okay." I said and pecked his cheek before leaving.

When I got to the house only the bedroom light was on. They had emptied the house of all the students, leaving it big and empty. The lock was already picked and I let myself in. I went upstairs to find Dean standing in the bathroom.

"Find anything?" I asked him.

"Of course not." He told me.

"Why are you still here then?"

"Wanted to leave you and Sammy alone for a while. Plus I needed a little time alone for a change." He replied.

"I guess it's my turn to ask if you're okay." I said walking up to him.

"You should've stayed with Sam." He laughed.

"What's wrong with you?" I asked him. He didn't say anything. "How do you feel about me?" I asked.

"What?" He frowned.

"I heard you and Sam talking in the car when Sam told you that he had feelings for me. He made it sound like you did too and you didn't deny it." I confessed. "So I need to know how you feel about me. Because I can't say that I have the same feelings for Sam that he has for me."

"I don't know Evy. How do you feel about my dad?" He countered.

"I love John." I told him. "I love him but not in a romantic way, but I love him. He means the world to me and not having him with me makes me feel so alone and afraid sometimes. I've been so afraid since the lake. For a while I didn't think I could keep doing this. I felt so alone and scared. I got over it but there are moments when I feel like I just can't go on. Sometimes I miss Jim so badly that I can't breathe. Sometimes I miss John so badly that I break into tears and wonder what I did wrong."

"It wasn't you and you know it." Dean told me.

"Answer my question." I told him.

"Go to Sam." He replied.

"Dean, please, don't push me away."

"Do you want there to be something between us? Is that it?" He shot at me. "Huh?" He said getting in my face.

"I don't know!" I yelled at him. "There already is something between us that started a long time ago. I don't know if I feel more for you than friendship but I do know that I don't care for Sam the way he wants me to. Are you telling me to try?"

"Yes!"

"Fine!" I yelled and turned away from him. I was about to leave when I heard a soft laughing. "Do you hear that?" I asked him.

"What?" Dean asked angrily.

"That laughing." I told him, following the sound.

"What?" He asked more calmly.

"I think it's coming from the bathroom." I said walking toward it.

"What are you doing?" He said grabbing my arm. "Let's just go."

I nodded and we turned toward the door. I was had barely taken a step when I was grabbed and pulled into the bathroom. I was thrown backward against the sink. Dean was looking at me with horror. My eyes met his and I ran toward the door at the same time he did, only it slammed shut.

"Oh god…" I whispered and listened to the room as Dean pounded on the door. "Dean! Shut up!" I yelled. He stopped. "I know you're in here Todd." The laughing continued.

I listened around me, trying to pinpoint where he was. I felt a brush of air and I turned around to swing when I was hit hard. I fell against the tub, feeling a rib or two crack. I yelled in pain but forced myself to my feet and tried again. I was hit again, being thrown against the door. I yelled again and could taste blood in my mouth. Dean started yelling again. The hand towel moved and I lunged coming in contact with an invisible figure. I was immediately put down and more pain went through my body. They came harder and closer together now. He was starting to enjoy it. I made for the door, grabbing the knob. He grabbed my fingers, bending them back. They snapped and I screamed in pain. I made for the knob again and unlocked it. Dean started yelling again and he tried the door. It still wouldn't open. I was being beaten against the door. My leg was grabbed and slashes appeared, ripping through my jeans. The next thing I knew there were gun shots and red started to drip from out of thin air. I got to my feet and turned to the door. It opened and I fell into Dean's arms. He pulled me from the room and we turned to see Todd lying on the floor, now visible. I started to cry as the pain in my body took me over. Dean held me against him.

"Evy…" He said putting his hand on my face.

"Dean…" I said holding up my hand, blood smeared all over it. "I am so sick of this." I told him.

"You're going to be okay." He said holding me tight against him. I yelled in pain as he shifted me. "Come on." He told me, picking me up into his arms.

He didn't waste any time carrying me to the car. He took me to the hospital. I was there for several hours getting checked out. Sam came as soon as Dean called him. I had two broken ribs, two broken fingers, several lacerations, along with a lot of bruising. I refused to stay any longer then I had to. I was released with some bandaging supplies to take care of my lacerations and a lot of pain meds for my ribs, fingers, and bruising. My fingers were in splints and my ribs just needed time to heal. All and all I was going to be fine but it had solidified a part of me that needed to get away from all of this.

"You're going to be okay." Sam said as we walked from the hospital, well, I limped but all in all I was still on my feet.

"I can't do this anymore." I told them.

"We'll keep you away from the danger zone for a while." Dean replied.

"You are the danger zone." I stated. "I just can't do it anymore. I just can't." I said and stopped.

"Come on. We're almost to the car." Sam told me.

"What part of 'I can't do this anymore' don't you understand?" I asked them, tears in my eyes. "I want to go home. I want to leave. I can not fight demons and the forces of evil anymore. I am worn out and I am so tired of hospitals and pain meds. I…" I said and paused.

"You can't leave." Sam told me.

"I'm not disappearing Sam." I replied. "I'm going back to San Diego. I have friends that can take me in and I have enough saved up so I'll be okay. Just keep me posted and you can call me any time you want." I told them.

"You're serious." Dean frowned.

"I can make my way to the bus stop alone. You two get out of here. I'll call you when I get there." I told them.

"You can't leave." Dean told me. "We need you."

"No you don't. I'm just in the way." I said and kissed his cheek. "I'll call you." I turned and kissed Sam's cheek before walking away from them.

"Evy…" Sam called.

"Evy!" Dean's voice came and my arm was grabbed. "You can't leave like this."

I smiled and kissed him deeply. "Sorry baby, there's nothing you can do."

I forced them to watch me walk away. The nearest bus stop wasn't far and even though I was in pain I didn't let onto it. I sat on the bench and waited for the next bus. I knew that it probably wouldn't be for a few hours but it would give me time to change my mind if I felt the need. I hadn't been there more than twenty minutes when two figures sat next to me. I smiled and looked at my hands.

"Nothing you can say will change my mind." I told them.

"We don't want you to go." Sam told me.

"Just stay and we can work this out." Dean added.

"I've nearly died three times in too short of a time period and once you could probably say I did die. I don't want to die." I said and looked at Dean. "I can't do it anymore. I just can't." I said and looked at Sam. "I need to get away for a while. I'm sorry I'm leaving you and I love both of you but I need to do this."

"We'll wait for the bus with you." Sam said taking my hand in his.

"Yeah, we can't leave you alone." Dean said taking my other hand.

Tears filled my eyes and I looked at them. "Thank you." I said and kissed both of them. "Thank you."


	13. Normal Living

**Disclaimer: Nothing you recognize from Supernatural is mine. Everything else is.**

**A/N: So here is the next chapter finally. I hope you like it. It's kind of a filler to move the story along but I hope it's still enjoyable.**

* * *

_**Chapter Thirteen: Normal Living**_

I called Katy Kellen, my best friend from college, and she allowed me to stay with her. It had been ages since I'd seen her but she couldn't begin to imagine how grateful I was toward her. She had gotten married right after we graduated to Michael, another classmate of ours. She too was an artist and when I walked into her home it was covering the walls. It was beautiful. She greeted me more enthusiastically than I could have hoped and it was nice to have some human contact outside of the hunters circle. She had a beautiful home and I couldn't help but feel envious toward her. She gave me the grand tour of her home before leading me to the guest room.

"I'm so happy that you are here." Katy grinned at me. "I'm putting you downstairs so you can have the living area too yourself. The only thing that's missing is a kitchen. That you'll have to come upstairs for, but I wanted to be able to give you some privacy."

"Meaning you want some too?" I grinned at her.

"Mike and I are upstairs. This way there will be plenty of walls between us." She smiled.

"So married life is good?" I smiled back.

"It really is." She smiled before it disappeared. "I'm sorry about Jim." She told me sadly. "I don't mean to rub anything in your face."

"Don't worry about it. I've made my peace with Jim's death. I'm just grateful that you're letting me stay here while I figure things out." I replied.

"Can I ask what happened to you?" She said cautiously.

"I was attacked in an alley. Didn't have any money on me so I got all this instead." I lied, but it was believable.

"I'm sorry." She told me.

I smiled and shook my head. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

"I know you will. You've always been tough." She smiled and went upstairs.

I looked around the room. It was big and it had large windows that looked out over the lake. I put my bag in the corner of the room and sat on the bed, looking out the window. The water made me nervous and I couldn't help but feel the need to block it out. I closed the blinds and walked from the room. The basement was well furnished and I couldn't help but look around. There was a nice sofa and a nice entertainment center with a bookcase full of movies. I could see hours of enjoyment there. There was another room that had a bar and a loveseat in it. It also had the doors to the patio. I walked to them and opened the doors, stepping out onto the concrete. The wind was blowing and I put my hands on my arms, even though it wasn't cold. There was a patio set nearby. I sat down and took out my phone.

"Hi, it's me." I smiled into the phone.

"Made there safe?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, I made it here just fine." I replied. "She's got a great place. I'll be okay here. Tomorrow I'm going to go look for a job. We'll see what happens."

"I'm sure you'll find something." He told me reassuringly.

"I'm not too worried. Katy's husband Mike is pretty well off. I'll be okay. I'm going to repay her of course but for now I'm okay. How's Sam?" I asked.

"He misses you." He replied.

"I miss him too." I replied.

"Yeah, he's down right depressed." Dean told me.

"Where is he?" I asked.

"Watching some sappy movie on TV." He replied. I could hear the smile in his voice.

"Sounds dire." I grinned.

"You're going to go through with this aren't you?" He asked.

"With what?" I replied.

"This normal life thing. You do know that you're never going to be normal, right?"

"I can try." I told him.

"Try all you want. Whether you like it or not, you're one of us."

"Dean…" I said rubbing my brow. "I don't need this lecture. I'm sorry that I'm not there but I just can't handle it anymore. I need a little time."

"How much time?" He asked.

"How ever much you can give me." I told him. "Talk to you soon."

I hung up the phone and took a deep breath before going back inside. I went back into the guest room and laid on the bed. I went through the past few days. Went through what happened with Lucas, thinking about the water, Sam, Dean…everything that had happened. It was the drowning that triggered my fear. It was the cold water filling my lungs that made me afraid. I didn't want to be afraid and in order to overcome my fear I needed time to think and to process. I needed time away from the things I was afraid of in order to free myself of my fear.

* * *

A month had passed and I had easily slipped into a normal routine. I went out and had a few drinks with friends. I danced with the eligible bachelors before going home and sleeping it all off. I hadn't been able to find a steady job but I did several temp jobs that brought in enough money to do what I needed to do. I was able to pay Katy even though she wouldn't accept anything from me. I managed to slip it in places she wouldn't readily notice it. I helped with groceries and with anything else that I could. I had told Katy that I was going to try and find a place of my own but she asked if I would stay. She enjoyed the company and it wasn't as if I got in the way. I still spent more time alone than I did with the happy married couple.

It was getting late and I was hungry, forcing me to surface. I went into the kitchen to see a note from Katy on the counter. She and Michael went to run a few errands before grabbing dinner. I grabbed my own dinner before returning to the basement. I popped a movie in and enjoyed a little relaxation. I was starting to fall asleep when my phone rang.

"Sammy!" I answered enthusiastically.

"Hey." He said happily.

"How are you?" I asked him.

"I'm good. I'm real good. How are you?" He replied.

"I'm great." I told him. "Things are going really well. The best part is that there are no demons coming at me."

"Is it what you wanted then?" He asked.

"In some ways it is." I replied. "It's normal. I miss you though. You and Dean."

"Can I come see you?" He asked.

"Of course you can." I smiled. "I gave you the address didn't I?"

"Yeah, I have it right here." He told me.

"So what's stopping you?"

"Dean and I are working a job." He said casually.

"What kind of job?" I asked him. I couldn't help but be worried.

"A succubus." He replied.

"Don't sound so casual. That's a big deal." I told him.

"We can handle it." Sam smiled.

"Just promise me that you'll be careful." I told him.

"I promise." He replied.

"Where's your brother?" I asked him.

"Scouting." He replied.

"By himself?" I asked angrily.

"Take it easy Evy. He's going to be fine." Sam said reassuringly.

"If he's out there being stupid I'm going to kill him." I replied.

"If you were here I'd say go for it but you're not." He told me, somewhat on the cold side.

"Don't make me feel so guilty." I frowned.

"If I make you feel guilty enough will you come back?"

"I guess we'll just have to wait and see." I smiled. "I better go, but I'll talk to you soon."

I hung up the phone and decided that it was a good time to get to bed. I had to job search in the morning and I didn't want to feel all tired and bogged down.

* * *

When I woke up I joined Katy and Michael for breakfast before heading out to search for a better way to support myself. I didn't have a car and didn't want to repeatedly ask Katy to borrow hers. She offered to come with but this was something that I needed to do on my own. I relied on people my whole life. I didn't want to anymore. I could take care of myself. I had to show the brothers and everyone else that Evy Connors wasn't as weak as some may think.

"Have you ever worked for a hotel before?" The manager asked me.

"No I haven't but I am a fast learner and I'd do a good job." I replied.

"The position we're looking to fill requires some level of experience. I'm not done with the interviewing process so when I've interviewed everybody we'll give you a call." She smiled at me.

"Thank you for you your time." I smiled and shook her hand before leaving her office.

It was the third interview of the day and I had no luck at all with finding a job. I was being mildly picky. I didn't want to work in any fast food restaurant or in any old folks home. I wanted a job that was relatively easy and flexible. I gave up after the fourth failure and went back to the house. I turned onto our block and stopped dead in my tracks. The big black truck was sitting in the driveway. For a moment I just stared at it. I took a few steps forward before running as fast as I could. I practically fell through the door, unable to open it fast enough. I dropped my bag and heard voices coming from the kitchen. I stopped in the doorway and could do nothing but stare.

"Hey, you're just in time." Katy smiled at me. "You're friend just stopped by to see you."

"John…" I said still staring at him.

"Evy…" He said and smiled.

I nodded as tears sprung to my eyes. He stood up and faced me. I took no time in rushing to him, throwing my arms around his neck.

"John, I am so happy to see you." I said taking his head in my hands.

He pulled me into him, our lips meeting. I kissed him hard and deep. I hadn't been this happy to see someone in a long time.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him.

"I heard something crazy about you living a normal life." He smiled.

I shook my head and laughed. "You are a site for sore eyes."

"You are too." He smiled and pulled me into a hug again.

* * *

John and I were sitting on the couch downstairs. We had cherries and wine sitting on the coffee table. It was nearly dawn. We had stayed up all night talking. I was so happy to see him. I had wanted to find him so badly and he ended up finding me.

"You're okay then?" I asked him after catching up.

"You know I am. I'm concerned about you." He replied. "It's not smart to try and live on your own. Plenty of beings out there know who you are. It's not safe to be alone."

"I can handle it." I told him with a raised brow.

"I know you can. But normal living is not in your future. Not yet anyway. There are a lot of things that need to happen in order for any of us to even think about normal living." He told me.

"Don't bring me down John. I've been happy and seeing you makes me even happier. Just let me live my delusion for a little while longer." I told him.

He looked at me and placed a hand on my cheek. "Okay. But do me a favor."

"What?" I asked him.

"Go back to Dean and Sam. They need your help and you need theirs. The three of you are a team and together you're pretty damn powerful. You've got smarts to match Sam and enough brawn to do what needs to be done. You should go back to them." He told me, rather convincingly.

"In time I will. I talk to one of them nearly every day. When I feel its time. I'll go back to them."

"Just don't take too long."

"I won't." I said putting my hand on his arm and smiled at him. "Are you ready for bed?" I asked him.

"Are you?"

"I'm pretty tired." I replied.

"Come on." He said helping me up. "I'll hold you for a while."

I smiled and led him to my room. We got into bed and he held me against him, his arms around me. I could feel his breath on my neck and soon I fell asleep without really meaning to. When I woke up John was still with me. I smiled and turned to face him. He was still asleep. I put my hand on his face and just looked at him. I knew that he would more than likely leave today and I wouldn't see him for a long time. I ran my fingers through his hair and he opened his eyes and smiled.

"Morning." I grinned at him.

"Morning." He smiled and kissed my forehead.

"Sleep well?" I asked.

"The best in a long time." He replied.

"Me too."

An hour later he was packed and ready to leave. I was expecting it but I was still dreading watching him drive away again. At least this time he was going to say goodbye.

"Keep in touch." I told him. "Answer the phone when I call you."

"I usually do." He smiled.

"Answer the phone when your boys call." I told him.

"You know I can't do that. They can't get into this with me. I need to do this." He replied.

"Than maybe you shouldn't answer when I call. It's not fair." I told him.

"You've seen him. You've seen the demon and he's seen you. He's touched you." He said a distant look in his eyes. "I need to talk to you incase something should happen."

"Fine. I love you. You know that right?"

"I love you too." He said and kissed my forehead. "I'll call you soon."

"You better." I smiled.

"Be safe." He told me seriously.

"You too." I said grabbing his jacket lightly. A knot forming in my throat.

"I will." He said pulling me into a hug.

I held tight to him for as long as I could. He got into his truck and smiled at me before pulling out of the driveway. I didn't run after him this time. He needed to go and I needed to stay. I went back inside and stayed downstairs for the remainder of the day. I finished off the cherries and the wine before going back to bed. I was tired and I wanted to be depressed until tomorrow when my job search would continue.


	14. The End of a Lie

**Disclaimer: See Chapter One**

**A/N: Here is the next chapter. I hope you like it!**_**Chapter Fourteen: The End of a Lie**_

* * *

The next day proved to be more productive than the first day of job hunting. There was a dog daycare on the outskirts of town that I applied at. I got an interview and by the end of the meeting I had the job. I now worked at the Doggie Daycare and Spa five days a week and every third Saturday. I started immediately and felt like things were starting to sort its self out. I would return to the boys when the time was right but for now I was still going to try and live as normal a life as I could. When I walked through the doors Koala, Jessie's little Yorkie, greeted me. Jessie was the boss but one hell of a nice woman. She was in her mid-thirties but had the kindest heart I have ever seen. I greeted the little mongrel before starting my usual rounds. Each dog, or family of dogs, got their own room with all the luxuries from home. I went through and cleaned every ones room who needed to be cleaned and gave everyone their breakfast before taking them all into the big play room for some morning frolicking. I sat on one of the big dog beds and had five dogs on my lap before ten minutes had passed.

"Hey Evy." Jessie said walking into the room. "How's everyone doing this morning?"

"Everyone is doing great." I told her. "Spunky is still trying to be top dog but Digger put him in his place in about five seconds. Lacy is hyper as ever and Badger still thinks he's a badger and is digging his way to china in the sandbox." I smiled up at her.

She laughed and took a seat next to me. "Can I ask you a question?" She asked.

"Of course." I said looking at her.

"What are you doing here?" She replied.

"What do you mean?" I frowned.

"It's clear to me that you love the dogs and that you don't mind it here. But you're not happy here. There is something that is calling to you but you won't answer. So I want to know what you're doing here."

I just looked at her a moment. "You're right about something 'calling' to me but you're wrong when you say I'm not happy here. I am happy. I just can't be in two places at once."

"What's holding you back?" She asked.

"Two friends of mine. I lived with them but finally had to leave. I love both of them so much but I couldn't do what I was doing anymore. I needed time away. So that's what I'm doing." I explained.

"And what were you doing?" She asked.

"I can't really talk about that." I told her.

"So secretive." She smiled.

"Sometimes it's easier to keep secrets then to tell the truth."

"Says who?"

"Says someone who's done both and found secrets easier to live with."

"You are a unique person." She told me.

"Thank you." I smiled and patted the dog next to me.

The day wore on and I did my usual routine. When play time was over I brought everyone back to their rooms for snack time. There were a few dogs going home today so they got their go home baths before an extra treat and back to rest up for their exciting exit. I went to lunch and came back in time to nap with Elvis, a wonderful Golden Retriever. When I finally went back up front to do paperwork and answer the phone I was happy to find everything quiet and Jessie was busy in the office. I put all the dogs' papers in a pile and started to write in their little report cards. _Badger is great and very fun to watch. Elvis is still my favorite. Lacy is a hoot to have staying with us. Moose really is a moose. He ate a whole bag of treats that he broke into. _The more I wrote in the more repetitive it came but I spent time getting to know the dogs' so it helped when it came to telling the owners how they did. I was just about done when I heard the door and some big man came in dragging a beautiful German shepherd behind him. I frowned and stood up.

"Can I help you?" I asked.

"Yeah. I'm going out of town for the week and I need to leave him somewhere." He told me harshly. I didn't like him at all.

"Okay, have you stayed with us before?" I asked him.

"Does it matter?" He asked.

"If you have then he would be in the computer. What's your name sir?" I asked.

"Bob Keller." He told me.

I looked him up but he wasn't in the system. I opened up a new window to add him into the system. The whole time he was sighing and shaking his head. I filled in his name and asked him his address. He practically yelled it to me. I heard Jessie's chair turn telling me that she had turned to see what was going on.

"Okay sir. What's your dog's name?" I asked him.

"Why does that matter?" He asked.

"Your dog doesn't have a name?" I asked him.

"I just bought him yesterday and now I have to leave. Just pick a name and take him for me." He said angrily.

"Fine." I said walking around to take the leash.

"Thanks." The man said and left.

I shook my head and watched the man leave. I looked down at the dog and he was shaking. He was terrified. I bent down and looked at him. I put my hand out to pet him and he cowered away from me. I sighed and shook my head, wondering what that man had done to him and what the people before him had done to this poor animal.

"Come on. Let's get you settled in." I told him.

"Everything okay?" Jessie asked.

"Yeah, I guess. That man should not have a dog." I told her.

"He seemed a bit off." She replied.

"To say the least. He had to drag the dog in here."

I had to coax the dog to follow me to one of the rooms. I put him into one that was away from everyone else. When I let him off of his leash he slunk to a corner and sat there, shaking, his nose practically touching the floor. I got him food and water before leaving him be for now. By the end of the day I couldn't stop thinking about that dog. We closed at five and as soon as Jessie left for the day I locked the doors but instead of leaving I went to check on the mystery dog. When I looked through the door he was right where I had left him. I opened the door and he looked at me but didn't move. All the rooms had raised beds and I sat down on it and watched him.

"Hey there boy." I told him. "What happened to you huh?" I said with a cheery voice. "You're a good boy. You'd be even better if you came out of that corner." I sat there a few minutes before moving to the floor and sitting a few feet away from him. "So, I guess we should stat with introductions. I'm Evy, a life long animal lover and backyard demon fighter. You are a dog with an unknown past but a bright future. Or at least I hope you do. Your dad didn't give you a name so I guess I'll give you one that I'll use while you're here." I told him. "I've been thinking about it and I think I'm going to call you Cooper."

I sat there with him for over an hour just talking to him, telling him my life story. It wasn't until the last five minutes that he even moved. I told him I was going to go and as I stood to leave he lifted his head and looked at me. I smiled but didn't push him. I pointed out the food and water before leaving the room for the night.

* * *

I sang in the shower as I got ready for the day. Katy and Michael were going to be gone for a few days and I had the house to myself. It was actually rather fun to feel like I had a house, a job, a place that felt like I was normal. At the same time I kept getting texts from Dean asking when I was coming back. I ignored it and headed to the car. I was anxious to get to work. It had been a few days since Cooper came and I had finally broken through his big head that I wasn't going to hurt him. He wasn't big on the touching yet but he sat with me on the bed and would lean against me. He would touch me but I couldn't touch him. He was a funny dog, not much older than a year. He was big and beautiful. He was the kind of dog that I had always wanted. So much so that I had already decided that when his owner came back, if he still seemed to dislike the dog that I'd offer to buy him. Cooper was great. I let him out while I worked and he followed me around, too afraid to wander off. Jessie tried to get to know him but he'd hide behind me. If it weren't for his shyness we had the kind of relationship I had always wanted in a dog. He reminded me of the dog I had met in the park which in turn reminded me of Dean. I was sitting with Cooper in his room. It was getting late and since I was the only one in the building I flipped open my phone and called Dean.

"Hey, I was just about to call you." He said answering the phone.

"Really? What a coincidence." I smiled.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Sitting with a dog." I replied.

"That's right. The dog spa job." He said teasingly. "How's that going?"

"It's going great. But I have an issue with one of the owners. His dog is terrified of him and I don't think I can give him his dog back. It just doesn't feel right." I replied.

"So do something about it." Dean told me.

I smiled and wished I could see him. "I think I will."

"I better go. Sam's back from his food run."

"Call me soon." I told him.

"I will."

I closed the phone and smiled, stroking Cooper's head. I used him as a pillow and stared at the ceiling. I had to spend as much time as I could with him. His owner would be back tomorrow to pick him up.

* * *

I paced in front of the counter when it came time for the dogs to go home. Cooper's owner was the last to show up. He came in the same way he had before. He looked like crap and he had a chain in his hands. I told him what a good dog he had only to have him cut me off and simply ask for his bill. He paid and I reluctantly went back to get Coop. I gave him a quick goodbye before taking him out front.

"Sir, how attached are you to this dog?" I asked him.

"What?" He asked coldly.

"If you're willing to sell him I'm willing to buy him from you." I told him.

"You want this filthy mutt?" He said nearly laughing.

"What would it take for me to by him from you?" I asked.

"Not a damn cent. He's not for sale." He replied.

"Please, I would do just about anything for this dog." I told him.

"Give me my dog." He said holding out his hand.

I put the leash in his hand, having to watch him drag the dog out of the building. I took a deep breath, hoping that he'd just bring the dog back. He didn't and I locked up and left for the day. I fumed about the situation all the way home. It was Friday so I had the weekend to try and forget the dog and move on and that's just what I did. Friday night was spent eating ice cream and watching all the sappy movies I could fit in. Come Saturday night I brought out the wine and sat in the basement with candles lit and soft music playing. Katy and Michael weren't going to be home until tomorrow night. I had one night left to relax and enjoy the peace and quiet. I was just about asleep when the doorbell rang. I stood up and staggered up the stairs to the door. I opened it and Sam was standing in front of me.

"Sam…" I said just looking at him. "What are you doing here?"

He didn't say anything. He grabbing me and pulled me into his arms, kissing me deeply. I kissed him back before pushing him away.

"What are you doing?" I asked him.

"Don't fight it." He said kissing me again.

"Sam…" I said as he kissed my neck.

I could feel my body temperature rising as he picked me up into his arms. He went downstairs and tossed me onto the couch. He threw his jacket aside as he lowered himself down on top of me. I took his head in my hands and kissed him passionately. I felt his hand slid under my shirt as my breathing became heavy.

When I woke up I was on my stomach on the couch. I had a throbbing headache and my mouth was all cottony. I tried to remember what had happened last night. The nearly empty bottle of wine was tipped over on the floor.

"It was just a dream." I said aloud as I sat up. I was only in my shirt but that wasn't unusual. "It was just a really vivid dream."

I was just about to get up when the bathroom door opened and Sam came out in just his boxers. I stared at him, not knowing what to say or think. He smiled and kissed me lightly.

"We had sex last night. Didn't we?" I asked him.

He frowned and sat down next to me. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah." I told him. "I just have a really bad headache."

"A bottle of wine will do that to you." He smiled.

I smiled back at him. "We shouldn't have done that." I told him honestly. I wasn't going to lead him on in any way.

"Probably not." He told me, his smile gone.

"Where did that all come from anyway?" I asked him. "You show up and don't even say anything to me. You just threw yourself at me."

"I know. I shouldn't have done that." He told me. "I'm sorry but I needed to see you. I needed to know if there was anything between us."

"And all you got was a woman who just drank a bottle of wine." I told him.

"So there was nothing there." He said looking at his hands.

"I love you Sam. You are the best friend I have." I told him.

"Friend…" He smiled and gave a short laugh.

"I'm sorry Sam." I said and took his hands in mine.

We both got dressed, an awkward silence looming over us. I was just about to offer him breakfast when there was the sound of the front door bursting open and loud barking followed by yelling that entered the house.

"What the hell?" I said heading upstairs.

"Evy…" Sam said following me.

I ran through the kitchen and was knocked down as someone ran into me. Arms wrapped around me as we fell to the ground. I landed on top of them and looked down to see Dean looking up at me.

"Dean, what the hell are you doing?" I asked him.

"There was a mad dog waiting outside the house." He said and soon I heard the animal's feet and it showed up in the kitchen doorway.

"Cooper!" I said looking at the dog. For a moment I was thrilled to see the dog until I noticed that blood was dripping from the dog's chest. "Did you do something to him or was he like that when you found him?" I asked Dean as I walked to the dog.

"There was blood on the porch but I wasn't really paying attention." Dean replied.

"Than it was from him." I replied.

"Him who?" Dean asked.

"The owner." I told him. "Come on Coop." I said to the dog. He moved to my side as I walked into the entryway and grabbed the car keys.

"Where are you going?" Sam asked me.

"He needs a vet." I told them.

"I'll drive." Dean told me.

I looked at him. "Thank you."

I grabbed a towel from the kitchen and walked out to the Impala. I put Cooper in the back seat before climbing in next to him. I had him lie down and put pressure on his wound. We drove to the Vet Clinic and we were seen nearly immediately. I told the vet what I knew and then they took Cooper into the back. We waited in the room while he was getting checked out.

"So you leave us and get a dog?" Dean smiled at me.

"No, I left you and I got a job." I replied. "You know that I work at the dog daycare. This dog is special to me though. He's a good dog with a bad owner. One that obviously wasn't happy with his dog and now he's bleeding freely from his chest." I told him coldly.

"Why do you sound mad at me?" He asked.

"Because I shouldn't have let Cooper go home with his owner. I knew that something like this was going to happen." I said and ran my fingers through my hair. A few minutes later the vet came back in with a concerned expression his face. "How is he?" I asked.

"He's stable. My technicians are prepping him for surgery. We're going to have to close the wound. I'm a little concerned because the wound is clean cut. It appears as if he may have been stabbed. He's lucky he's alive. He could have bled out if it were much deeper." He explained.

"Is he going to be all right?" I asked him.

"He should be fine." He told me. "But it'll be a few hours before you can see him. We're going to have to put him under to take care of the wound and it'll take him a little while to wake up. He'll have to stay quiet."

I nodded. "All right. We'll be back in a few hours then." I told him. "Thank you so much." I said shaking his hand.

"You're welcome. See you soon." He smiled.

I smiled back and left the exam room. I turned to Dean and took the keys from his pocket.

"What are you doing?" Dean asked.

"Normal living isn't for me. I have a man I need to take care of." I replied.

* * *

Five hours later the three of us and Cooper were in the Impala on our way out of town. Bob Keller was suffering from mild injuries and was sitting in the police station. The local ASPCA had filed charges against him for animal abuse and I was able to take Cooper with me. Dean wasn't happy about it but I brought a blanket to cover the back seat so he would be mildly happy. I left a note for Katy apologizing for leaving so abruptly and that I'd call her as soon as I could. It wasn't ideal and I couldn't deny that this wasn't exactly what I had planned but sometimes things just happen and there is nothing you can do about it.


	15. The Beginning of Something Strange

**Disclaimer: See previous chapters**

**A/N: Here is the next chapter. I hope you enjoy. I love reviews!! **

* * *

**_Chapter Fifteen: The Beginning of Something Strange_**

Cooper dragged me though the halls of the hotel. He hated the leash but we didn't have a choice. There were leash laws everywhere and him being off-lead wasn't going to get us anywhere. I put the key into the door and let go of the leash as it swung open. I sighed and placed the grocery bags on the bed.

"Coop! Get off the bed!" Dean said pushing the dog off.

"Hey!" I yelled at him. "Touch my dog like that again and I'll take away your manhood." I threatened.

"Ever since you got that damn dog we're just a smudge on your radar." Dean replied.

"He's recovering from surgery and you've never been more than a smudge on my radar." I told him.

"Hm, do you remember your fiancé's funeral?" He asked.

He hadn't brought that up since it happened. "Yes I do. Then you were nonexistent."

He frowned as I handed out dinner. Sam was busy scanning the internet for anything that could lead us to a job. I took over one of the beds and sat against the headboard, calling Cooper up to lay with me. I handed him the bone I had bought him and dug into my food. Things still didn't seem right to me. I was still detached from my calling and left myself out of any demon hunting. When the guys did their thing I threw myself into taking care of Cooper. It was a well needed distraction.

"So how was the banshee hunt?" I asked when they finally returned to the room.

"One dead demon." Dean grinned. "How was your night?" He said dropping on the bed next to me. "Hey Coop!" He said scratching the dog's stomach. I raised a brow at him. "He's not so bad." Dean said and turned away from the dog. Cooper pawed at him and his hand slowly found the dogs neck and started to pet him as I finished journaling on my laptop.

"And you're both okay?" I asked standing.

"I'm fine." Sam replied.

I frowned and looked at Dean. "What happened?" I asked him.

"Nothing." Dean replied pulling the dog into his lap. Cooper looked up at him and whined. "Don't look at me like that." He frowned at the dog.

"Dean…" I said looking at him.

I walked up to him. I had noticed a few cuts on his face but that was nothing new. I gently lifted his chin and looked him over.

"It's his stomach." Sam finally told me.

I frowned at Dean and pulled the dog off of his lap. "Let me see." I said forcing Dean to move his arms. I gently lifted his shirt to see a nice long laceration across his abdomen. "Dean…" I said and looked at him.

"It's not that bad." He replied.

I put a little pressure on the wound and he tensed from the pain. "Not that bad huh?" I frowned at him.

"I'm fine." He replied, forcing his shirt out of my hands.

"Knock it off." I said and hit the side of his head.

"Hey, wounded here." He frowned.

"I thought you were fine?" I said as I took out my handy dandy first aid kit. "Take off your shirt." I told him.

"What?" He said looking up at me.

"Take off your shirt. I can't take care of the wound with your shirt getting in the way." He sighed and went to pull his shirt off. The pain from his wound stopped him from finishing. I laughed at him, his shirt only half off. "Here…" I said and gently pulled it the rest of the way off. "You okay?" I asked.

"Yeah." He said, talking through the pain. It was clear that it hurt.

I took a moment to ogle him before kneeling in front of him. "It looks like the bleeding has stopped so I'm just going to wrap it." I explained as I took out what I needed. "I'm going to clean it first." I said as I put pressure on his wound with some beta-dine. It stung and he clenched his teeth to keep from yelling out but it would kill anything that got into it. "Sorry." I said as I gently wiped the wound clean. I wrapped it relatively tight and secured it before standing back. "There, all better." I smiled. "Now your head." I said and quickly cleaned his cuts. "There." I said and kissed his forehead. "Don't hide your wounds from me." I told him.

"I wasn't hiding anything. It wasn't that bad." He replied putting his shirt back on.

"You're such a liar. If you were hurt you should have dealt with it as soon as you walked in the door." I stated.

"Evy…" He said looking at me.

"What?" I replied with my hands on my hips.

"Stop worrying." He said pulling me on the bed next to him.

"I can't help it." I said putting my hand on his knee. "If anything serious happened to you guys…" I said and stopped, a knot forming in my throat.

"Hey, nothing is going to happen to us." Dean said putting his arm around me.

I looked at him and smiled. "I can't take any more tragedy or pain. We've all been through so much and ever since the lake I just can't take it. I just can't seem to move on from this one."

"You will. It'll just take some time." He said and kissed my head. "We're all looking out for each other. As long as we're together we'll all be fine."

I smiled and put my arms around him, gently caressing the back of his head. I took a deep breath, trying not to cry. Then a big tongue appeared that licked both Dean and my face. I laughed and looked at Cooper.

"Good boy." I said and stroked him.

"Yeah." Dean said doing the same.

I looked over at Sam. He had a sad expression on his face. My smile faltered and I looked away from him. The rest of the night was quiet as we relaxed. They needed it more than me but I was always worrying about them. It was a flaw that seemed to have wormed its way in and I couldn't get rid of it. I turned in before they did with Cooper lying on the floor next to me. Dean was with me and when the lights finally turned off I felt his arm drape across me. I laced my fingers with his before falling asleep.

* * *

I shot awake some time later. I was sweaty and shaking. I didn't know what the cause was. I felt a little weird, tightness in my chest. I took several deep breaths trying to pass the feeling.

"What is it?" Dean asked putting a hand on my back.

"I'm not sure." I said frowning at him, my hand on my chest.

"Are you okay?" He asked slightly concerned.

I was going to reply when a low growling started and I looked at Cooper. He was growling at me. I frowned at him as his growling continued, his eyes locked on me. I stared back at him. A moment later the tightness went away and I took a few more deep breaths.

"Cooper?" I said looking at the dog. He stopped growling and he relaxed with his tail wagging. "What was that all about?" I asked stroking his head.

He let out a small whine and jumped up onto the bed in between me and Dean. I smiled and stroked the dog.

"Are you all right?" Dean asked me over the dog.

I nodded and smiled. "Yeah."

He smiled back and took my hand in his. I closed my eyes again and with our arms around Cooper we fell back asleep.

I was the first one awake come morning. I took Cooper outside and grabbed coffee before heading back to the room. When I walked in Sam was coming out of the bathroom. Dean was still asleep. He smiled at me but didn't say anything.

"Are you mad at me?" I asked him.

"No." He frowned. "Why would I be?"

"I don't know. You just don't seem like yourself." I replied.

"I'm fine." He smiled and put his arm around me. "But ah, what's between you and Dean?"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Lately he's been the one sharing your bed. He's been sitting by you. He even likes Cooper. All things that Dean doesn't usually do. Things that I used to do but seem to have been pushed to the side." He explained.

"I don't know what's between us. All I know is that both of you hold a piece of my heart and I don't know what you expect of me." I told him.

"I just want the truth." He told me.

I crossed my arms and looked at my feet. "I heard you in the car when you were telling Dean how you feel about me." I told him and looked up. He was the one to look away this time. "So I know how you feel but I don't feel the same way. You said that you thought I had feelings for your brother and on a certain level I agree with you. Dean is a pain in the ass but when it comes down to it I do care deeply for him. But don't mistake that as meaning that I don't care for you. I'd give my life for you and you know that. Right?"

"Yeah." He said softly.

"Okay than. All I ask of you is to be my best friend. I need you just as much as anyone else. I just can't be romantically involved with you. I know we had a thing while I was living with Katy but that can't happen again."

"I know." He said and kissed my forehead.

"I love you Sammy." I said and put my arms around his neck.

"I love you too." He replied hugging me tight.

We parted and I went back to the bed and laid down. Cooper jumped up next to me and rested his head on my stomach. Dean was sleeping soundly next to me. It was still early. Sam did the same and soon he was asleep again. I, however, couldn't sleep. I wasn't sure what to do. I got up again and went onto the patio. I opened my phone and dialed John.

"Hey, I can't talk right now." John said answering it.

"What's wrong?" I asked him.

"I'm in the middle of something. I'll call you later." He said and hung up the phone.

I sat down and leaned against the side. He was in the middle of a hunt and my first thought was that if I put him in jeopardy for calling I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. Soon the patio door slid open. I looked up to see Dean.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"I'm enjoying the outdoors." I replied.

"You look upset." He said squatting in front of me.

"I called your dad. He answered telling me he couldn't talk. That he was in the middle of something. Then he hung up." I explained.

"I'm sure he's fine. He always is." Dean said sitting down.

"I think I hurt Sam." I told him after a pause.

"Why?"

"Because I told him I didn't feel the same way." I replied. "And I need to confess something to you." I said and paused. "When he came to see me in San Diego we shared a bottle of wine and ended up having sex." I told him quickly.

Dean just looked at me before taking my hands in his. "So what?" He asked. I just looked at him. "You and Sam needed to figure out where you stood. He wanted more but sometimes you can't get what you want." He told me. I smiled. "You're one of a kind Evy." He smiled.

I laughed as a tear slid from my eye. "Thank you." I said and leaned toward him, kissing his lips.

I looked at him and his hand found my cheek. I pulled him into me and kissed him again. We kissed repeatedly before a feeling washed over me and soon I was in his lap. It was getting intense when there was a slam on the patio window. I jumped and Cooper's barking filled our ears. He was going nuts. He was pawing and barking at us through the window.

"What's his problem?" Dean asked.

"I don't know." I replied. I suddenly felt sheepish and quickly stood up.

"What is it?" Dean asked.

"Nothing, we just shouldn't be doing that." I stated.

"Why the hell not?" He asked standing.

"Because, we should just keep our relationship professional." I told him.

"Evy…" He said taking my arm. "What is it?" He asked concerned.

I looked at him, breathing hard. "I don't know. I just don't know. There's this feeling inside of me. I want you so badly yet there is something in me that's telling me it's not just me. There's something wrong Dean. There's something wrong with me." I said and started to cry.

He put his arms around me. I leaned into him and cried, wrapping my arms around his neck. "There is nothing wrong with you. You're just tired. We've been traveling too much. That's all." He said comforting me.

"Than how do you explain Cooper? Why does he keep growling and barking at me?" I asked him.

"I don't know. Maybe there is something wrong with him." He replied.

I let him go and looked at Cooper through the window. He was watching me, his tail thumping on the floor. "I don't think it's him." I stated.

* * *

A few days had gone by and the odd feeling that I had had was now gone. It was either gone or I had just gotten used to it. Dean was keeping an ever watching eye on me but I didn't mind. It made me feel better to know what I wasn't alone. I was never alone.

"All right, the shape shifter looks to have struck again." Sam said as Dean and I looked over his shoulder. "Looks like it's striking every night." He added.

"So tomorrow?" I asked.

"Let's make sure we have enough bullets." Dean replied.

"Do we have any idea who it might be going after?" I asked. There silence was enough. I sighed and looked down at my dog. "You wanna go outside?" I asked him. He shook his tail wildly and gave out a low woof. I smiled and stroked his ears. "We're going for a walk." I told the men.

"I'll come with you." Dean asked.

"No, stay and help Sammy." I told him.

"Sam's got it." Dean replied.

I frowned at him but didn't argue. I kissed the back of Sam's head. "We'll be back." I said and grabbed the dog leash on our way out.

Dean and I walked in silence. I didn't know what to say to him. The last time we were alone I had made out with him in his lap and since then it was just a little awkward. I wanted to keep our relationship strictly friendly but it seemed like I wasn't going to get what I wanted. A pain rose in my head that I hadn't felt in a while. But the pain wasn't of the usual sort. It started as a pain behind my eye and the world spun but no image was shown to me. I grabbed Dean's shoulder as the pain increased.

"What is it?" He asked.

"It's…" I said but stopped as the pain rose again and images flashed but nothing stayed. "It's a vision trying to come out but it's…" I said and stopped as it tried again. "It's incomplete." I finally finished. The pain went away and I stood there and reached to the back of my mind to try and figure out what it was. "It's gone. It was a vision but it couldn't come out." I said and looked at him. "That was really weird." I replied. I looked down at Cooper and his hackles were raised. "What?" I yelled at him. His tail wagged and he started to walk again.

"Are you okay?" Dean asked me.

I looked at him. "I'm fine." I replied.

"You're lying." He smiled.

"Am not." I frowned at him.

"Your mouth does this little thing when you lie." He smiled at me.

"Does not." I said frowning harder at him.

He just laughed and took my hand. For a moment I didn't reciprocate but I sighed and laced my fingers with his. Only the next moment severe pain throbbed in my head and the last thing I remembered was falling to my knees and Cooper's barking before my vision blurred and things started to flash in front of my eyes.

_I was looking in a mirror but it wasn't my reflection that I saw but a woman with long raven hair and a pale complexion looking back at me. Her eyes were red rimmed and tears stained her cheeks. The scene moved and she was standing in a field. A moment later she was screaming as a whip came down on her back, again and again. The scene moved to the bedroom when a tall burly man, her husband, came in and started to beat her. Her lip split and bruising formed over her eye and her cheek. She yelled out once which only caused him to beat her harder. She remained quiet as he started to rip of her clothes and rape her. There was no life in her eyes, simply pain and fear. The scene jumped again showing her dead body at the bottom of a hill, bruising on her neck. The burly man standing at the top, looking down at her. Then the rain started to fall and with it the picture blurred._

My vision righted and I closed my eyes. It took me a moment to realize that I was shaking. I opened my eyes and tears ran from them. Dean had my head in his hands and he was looking at me with grave concern. I sat in the grass and took several deep breaths.

"What did you see?" He asked.

I just shook my head as tears welled in my eyes. He sighed and kissed my forehead. I put my arms around him and cried into him. The amount of pain she had been in. I felt her pain. I felt it like it was my own and it was the worst pain I had ever felt. The woman was beaten repeatedly before strangled and dumped down a hill. The time or place was impossible to figure out. It felt like it was from the past but there was always a reason for them.


	16. Wickedness Will Be Punished

**Disclaimer: The usual...**

**A/N: Here is the next chapter! Thank you to all who reviewed! I can't even begin to express my thanks!! I hope you enjoy!!**_**Chapter Sixteen: Wickedness Will Be Punished**_

* * *

I sat in the chair drinking a cup of coffee when the Winchesters finally decided to get up. Cooper sat at my side as we looked out the window. He had been glued to me more than usual, his eyes always on me. I smiled at him and stroked his head as I felt hands on my shoulders. I looked up to see Dean.

"Still can't sleep?" He asked and placed a kiss on the top of my head.

"Haven't slept in days." I replied.

"Keep seeing it?" He asked.

"Seeing it, feeling it, practically living it." I told him.

"We'll figure it out." He said putting his arms around my neck. "Together." He whispered in my ear.

"Trying to get personal with me?" I smiled at him.

"Always." He grinned and grabbed my cup, taking a drink before handing it back.

I heard the bathroom door close and my smile disappeared. The visions were repeated only they weren't static. They got more and more random each time I saw them and every time it happened Cooper went on edge and treated me like an enemy. It was getting ridiculous. Sam got out of bed and came up to me.

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Could be better, could be worse." I told him.

"I'll get you some more coffee." He said as he ran his hand down the back of my head.

I hated the sad sound they had in their voice and the constant worry that they had on their face. I was fine. I was always fine. I would always be fine. The word wasn't a word anymore. I sighed and watched him change clothes before be left the room. It had been nearly a week since the initial vision but everyday since I had had some variation of the same vision. Each was as painful as or even more painful than the first. As Sam came through the door Dean came out with only a towel on. Sam frowned at his brother as he handed me a large vanilla cappuccino. Sam took his turn in the bathroom, leaving Dean and I alone.

"Don't look at me like that." I frowned at him.

"Why, does it make you nervous?" He grinned.

"No." I replied. "I just don't like it."

He smiled but took out clothes to put on. I watched him, and soon my chest felt heavy and my breathing quickened. I walked up to him and ran my fingers down his back. He turned and looked at me. I put my hands on his chest and leaned into him. I put a hand on the back of his head. I looked at him before kissing him deeply. He kissed me back and I pulled the towel off of his body before pushing him backward onto the bed. I took my clothes off, crawling onto the bed next to him. I kissed him passionately as I positioned myself on top of him. His hands moved over my body. He held me tight against him and I rocked against him, our bodies connected. Minutes later I rolled off of him, breathing hard. I looked over at Dean and he smiled at me. I couldn't help but smile back. I quickly got out of bed and pulled clothes on. Dean did the same and just as we finished dressing Sam came out of the bathroom. I tried to act normal as Sam went through his usual routine. I went into the bathroom and brushed my teeth trying to calm down. The sex was great but I still felt off and part of me felt like I wasn't in control. These urges were normal for any human being but the way I was acting on them was very much unlike me. Dean came into the bathroom and started to brush his teeth. I was all foamy at the mouth and he laughed as he put his own brush in his mouth. I spit and glared at him. He just smiled at me. I tried to keep a straight face but couldn't do it. I smiled at him and finished. He finished shortly after and gurgled water for I don't know how long. I finally left and then heard him finally spit it out. He was a strange man after all.

* * *

I was starting to feel really crummy a few days later when we arrived in a small town in Montana. I hadn't slept in over three days. Every time I closed my eyes I would see that woman's face and the things that happened to her would flash in front of my eyes. I couldn't stand it anymore. I finally had Dean stop at the nearest store to get some sleep aids. I couldn't stand being awake anymore.

"God I hope these work." I said as we headed to the hotel.

"Yeah, me too." Dean replied worriedly.

I smiled at him reassuringly. "Everything will be better once I get some sleep."

"Yeah, you'll be less grumpy." Sam told me.

"Oh shut up." I said and smacked the back of his head.

"Hey! See what I mean?" He added.

"If you haven't slept in days you'd be grumpy too." I replied.

"Yeah, I 'spose I would." He said and smiled at me.

The only thing they had was Tylenol PM but I didn't care. Anything that would help me sleep was good enough. I took a dose before we got to the hotel and by the time we got the bags upstairs I was feeling tired. I laid on the bed and Dean laid next to me. I was on my stomach and he gently stroked my back as I looked at him. My eyes felt heavy. I closed them and fell asleep so fast that I didn't have time to see anything I didn't want to.

* * *

When I woke up I felt so rested that it was unbelievable. The sun was out and I was alone in the room. I got up and stretched. I woke up the same way I had fallen asleep. I must have slept hard. It felt damn good. I was alone long enough to walk the dog, shower and raid the vending machines before the boys returned.

"Hey!" I grinned when they walked into the door.

"You're awake!" Sam grinned at me.

"Finally." Dean said and kissed my forehead. "You've been asleep for a while."

"Good" I grinned at him. "It felt great." I told him. "I feel so much better."

"That's good." Dean said and hugged me.

"Brought you Chinese." Sam smiled.

"You are my lifesaver!" I smiled and kissed his cheek as I took the food from him.

The rest of the day was spent actually having fun. Eating and drinking as we played cards and did anything else that came to mind. After the sun went down I went onto the balcony to get some fresh air. There was a soft breeze that felt wonderful on my skin. I was just about to go back in when there was a sharp pain in my head and a flash of the woman's wrist being grabbed by her husband. It went away as quickly as it came and I fell back against the railing. Cooper must have been barking. Sam was pulling him away from the window as Dean came out to me. I looked up at him and stood.

"I'm fine. I'm fine." I told him.

"What happened?" He asked.

"It's just those weird visions." I replied. "It was a flash of the woman being grabbed by her husband. It just took me off guard." I told him and brushed the hair from my face, putting it behind my ear.

"Wait…" Dean said and grabbed my arm. "Where did you get this?" He asked.

I looked at my wrist and there was bruising all around it. I frowned and ran my fingers across it. "I don't know. It wasn't there before." I replied. I looked at him and he looked more concerned than usual.

"The woman…which wrist was she grabbed on?" He asked me.

I ran my hand over my right wrist and thought a moment. "Her right." I replied. Dean took a deep breath and leaned against the railing. "You don't think…" I said and stopped.

"It wasn't there a moment ago and now you have heavy bruising on your right wrist. The woman in your vision was grabbed on her right wrist. How else would it have happened?" He replied.

"I don't know." I told him. "But have you heard of anything like this before?" I asked him.

He shook his head. "Come on." He said taking my hand. "Sammy…" He said to his brother.

For whatever reason Dean decided he needed to talk in hushed tones to his brother. I crossed my arms and waited for them to decide my fate. I was staring at my wrist when I heard voices. It was as if it just brushed past me. I frowned and strained my ears to see if I could hear it again. There was a scream and then a man yelling.

"You hear that?" I asked them.

"Hear what?" Dean asked me.

"Didn't you hear her scream?" I frowned at them.

"Evy…?" Sam asked.

There were voices again. A woman pleading and then a man yelling. "Can't you hear it?" I asked them again.

The next thing I knew it felt like I had been backhanded. My vision blurred from the blow and then I was thrown back against the wall. I was pinned momentarily before being thrown onto the bed. I felt a hand reach under my shirt and I grabbed for it. Even though there wasn't one there. I felt my arms being grabbed and I struggled against them. I closed my eyes as the attack continued.

"Evy! Evy stop!"

I finally opened my eyes and Dean had a hold of me. I was gasping and was shaking hard. I tasted blood in my mouth. I put my fingers to my lips and could feel the split.

"Evy?" Dean said taking my head in his hands.

"Oh God." I said and rolled off of the bed. I ran into the bathroom and vomited into the toilet. "What's happening?" I whispered to myself, closing my eyes.

"Evy…?" I turned to see Sam and Dean standing in the doorway.

"Now do you believe me that something's wrong?" I asked Dean. They gave each other uneasy looks. "I need to get out of here." I told them and left the room.

"Evy wait." Dean said following me. "We'll figure something out. Just hold up."

I walked faster, needing to get out of the building. I needed fresh air. I needed to get away from that feeling. Once I was out of the building I ran down the road as fast as I could. I ran as fast as I could for as long as I could. When I finally stopped I looked around. I had stopped in front of a church, which was slightly ironic. I looked at it before opening the doors and going in. I walked to the candles and lit one, praying for my own safety from the evil that was inside of me. I walked to the first pew and sat down. I looked up at the statue of Jesus nailed to the cross before kneeling and praying with all of me not to let it happen again. Not only that but to save the souls of those closest to me. There was something inside of me that I was sure of. But the 'what' and the 'how' were answers that I needed. I started to sob and I cried until I couldn't anymore. When I finally sat back I stared at my wrist thinking about all the possibilities of what it could be. Possession was the first that came to my mind but I had never heard of a possession like this. It didn't make any sense. In the end I blamed my visions. Somehow I was connected to them. I was connected to this specific vision and the things that were happening to her were happening to me. The thought alone brought tears to my eyes. I was going to cry again when I was interrupted.

"Can I help you?" The priest smiled at me.

"No, thank you. I'm all right." I smiled back as I wiped the wetness from my eyes.

"Are you sure there is nothing I can do for you?" He asked.

I smiled and looked up at him again. My smile immediately disappeared when I saw his eyes. They were an all too familiar yellow. I stood and started to back away.

"Why are you here?" I asked him.

"I needed to have a chat with you." He grinned.

"I have nothing to say to you." I told him coldly.

"Oh but you'll want to hear what I have to say." He replied.

"Why?" I asked backing away.

"Because your, beloved, John is in a bit of trouble." He replied.

"You're lying." I shot at him.

"That is a possibility." He grinned walking toward me.

"Stay back!" I yelled moving backward. I was at the end of the pew and I tripped and fell out of it. When I looked up he was gone. "God help me…" I whispered.

"Evy!" I heard my name being called.

"Dean?" I said as I stood up. "Dean!" I yelled when I saw him. I ran to him, throwing my arms around his neck. "He was here! I saw him! He was here Dean!"

"Who was here?" He asked pulling me out at arms length.

"The yellow-eyed demon." I told him.

"Are you okay?" He asked and looked around him.

"He's gone." I told him.

"Come on." He said putting an arm around me.

"He posed as a priest." I told him. "Who does that?"

"He's a demon baby. There is no rhyme or reason to why they do things."

"He said that your dad was in trouble. He flat out told me that he was. I don't know if I should believe him or not." I told him. "I don't want to ignore it and then find out that he was in trouble and we could've helped him."

"Demons lie." Dean replied.

"I know they do. I have to call him." I said and took out my phone. I dialed John and listened to it ring. "John, please pick up." I said when he didn't.

"Are you okay?" John asked answering the phone.

"I was calling to ask you the same thing." I replied.

"Did you see him?" He asked.

"Did you?"

"He's playing games." John replied.

"What did he say to you?" I asked him.

"He said you were in trouble." He replied.

"Are you in trouble?" I asked him.

"No. I'm fine. Are you?" He asked.

I started to cry and I took a deep breath. "Yes." I finally told him.

Dean took the phone away from me and filled his dad in on what was going on. When he finally got off the phone I had finally stopped the tears but I was shaking. My body hurt and this new happening was something I wasn't ready for.

"He's going to look into it." Dean told me.

"But he's not coming." I stated.

"Me and Sam are here for you." He said pulling me against him.

I was just starting to calm down when there was a flash in front of my eyes and my vision blurred.

_I saw the woman again. The couple was having fun. They were smiling and speaking in whispers. It was as if it went in fast forward and he was now angry and grabbed a baseball bat from the corner of the room. As she tried to calm him he gave her a hard blow across her abdomen. She collapsed onto the floor and he left the room._

* * *

When I woke up I was in the hotel room. Sam was staring at the floor while Dean was looking out the window. I sat up only pain rushed through my stomach. Both men looked at me and rushed to the side of the bed.

"How do you feel?" Sam asked me.

"Like crap." I said flatly. I forced myself out of bed.

"You need to rest." Dean told me.

"No. I need to figure out who the hell this woman is and why she's inside of me." I replied.

"We don't know that for sure." Sam told me.

"I see it in my head. It happens to her and some how it happens to me too." I told them. "If it keeps up and I have to experience this all the way through than you'll be burying me in no time." They both looked taken aback. "She was murdered. She was murdered by her husband and if that happens than I am dead with her. When I first saw her in a vision she was whipped, she was beaten, she was strangled and thrown down a hill. It will happen to me if we don't stop it."

"We don't know that." Dean told me.

I lifted up my shirt and you could see the outline of the bat. "Yes we do." I replied.

* * *

Many sleepless nights followed. Nothing had happened since but we couldn't find out any information about the woman or her husband. There was nothing out there. That led us to think that it was a way to reap vengeance on the man who killed her to just a way so everyone would know what really happened. Whatever the reason it was happening and so far we didn't know how to stop it. Sam even suggested an exorcism but I didn't react to holy water or anything else that the possessed reacted to. John wasn't having any luck either. I tried to convince him to come see us but he wouldn't. He worked better on his own and he was worried enough. We were in the same town and I took to visiting the church nearly everyday. I didn't know why. I didn't know what I could get out of it. I wasn't sure if God was real but if he was I wanted his help. It was nearly a week later while I was sitting in the church that a priest sat next to me. I looked at him and he was the same priest that the demon had been possessing.

"You still him?" I asked. There was no reply. "You lied."

"I said it was a possibility." He grinned.

"What do you want?" I asked him.

"Oh I want many things. At the moment though I want to know how you're holding up." He grinned.

"Is this your doing? Some form of possession or something?" I asked him.

"Or something." He smiled.

"Are you going to kill me in a church?" I asked.

"I have plans remember. None of which involve you dying…yet. Besides, I have nothing to do with what's going on."

"But you know don't you?" I asked.

"Maybe."

"Stop with the run around. Why come here? Do you just like to get a rise out of me?"

"Maybe a little." He grinned.

"I'm not playing your games. Either tell me what you want or get the hell out of my face." I told him coldly.

"Now, now. Wickedness will be punished." He told me.

"Than get ready for a lot of pain." I replied angrily.


	17. Lauren Smith

**Disclaimer: Please see previous chapters**

**A/N: Next chapter up! I hope you like it! Reviews are awesome. Especially to my latest reviewer! You're awesome!**

* * *

_**Chapter Seventeen: Lauren Smith**_

I sat on the bed, leaning against the headboard. Dean was sitting next to me with an almost scared look on his face. The room door opened and Sam came in with a bucket of ice. He wrapped some of it into a towel and handed it to Dean. I looked at him with my one good eye and tried not to drool due to my rather large lip at the moment. Dean gently put the ice to my face. It hurt and I closed my eye and waited for the ice to dull the pain. We hadn't spoken in hours, partly because no one could understand what I was saying, but it was getting worse and we still had no way of figuring out what was going on. It was so bad that Cooper had taken to sitting on the other side of the room. Telling us that whatever was inside of me was in more control than me. I had tried to keep up a good face throughout the whole thing but what was happening was starting to eat away at me and I wasn't sure if I could hold on much longer.

"Can you hold this?" Dean asked.

I nodded and put my hand up to grab it. I brought my knees up so I could rest my arm on them. I watched Dean and Sam go around the corner but couldn't hear what they were saying. I knew that they were worried but I kept telling them that I could handle it. I didn't believe it and neither did they but I kept telling them anyway. When they came back Dean's eyes were wet and Sam's jaw was clenched. I slowly stood up, keeping the ice on my face.

"Don't look at me like that." I told them as clearly as I could. "I told you I'd be fine. There is still plenty of time to figure out what's going on."

"You're lying." Dean told me.

"What, can you still see that lip thing I do?" I asked rolling my eyes.

"Let's get you to the hospital." Sam said putting an arm around me.

"What are they going to do for me Sammy? What if it happens there? They'll just put me into the psych ward and you know it." I told him.

"We just need to get something to help you. We need to do something." He told me softly.

"Please?" Dean said sadly. "We don't know what else to do."

I looked at him and tears came to my eyes. I nodded and leaned against Sam. They ushered me from the room and Dean sped to the hospital. When we went in I realized I must look worse than I thought because we got seen almost immediately. I made Sam and Dean stay with me at all times. Dean held my hand and gently rubbed it while we waited for the doctor.

"Okay Molly Banks." The doctor said coming in. "I'm doctor Walters. Can you tell me what happened?" He asked.

I sighed and took a deep breath. "I was beaten by this big guy." I replied.

"Did you know who he was?" He asked.

"No, he was drunk and it was dark." I told him.

"When did it happen?"

"Um, a couple days ago." I replied.

"And this is the first time you've been seen?" He asked.

"Yes."

"Can you do anything for her?" Dean asked.

"We'll see." The doctor smiled.

He gave me a full physical. I couldn't hide the previous injuries and he took Dean and Sam out into the hall for longer than I felt comfortable with. They came back without the doctor looking a little grim.

"He accused me of beating you." Dean told me.

"Just you?" I asked.

"Yeah, I look to nice to beat anyone." Sam smiled.

I laughed but it hurt so it only lasted a moment. "I'm sorry." I said looking at Dean. "I'll be sure to tell him that it's ridiculous to accuse you. You're nothing but good to me." I told him.

"I know." He said and kissed my forehead.

A few hours later we were finally walking out. I had antibiotics and a sheet of paper telling me about hot and cold compress. I wasn't sure what to expect or if this was going to work but I would do anything to bring down the swelling on my face.

* * *

I woke up to a light kiss on my lips. I cracked my eyes open and looked at Dean. I smiled and put my hand on his face. He kissed me lightly again. I caressed his face and ran my fingers through his hair.

"It's been a while since I've been able to do that." He whispered.

"It feels good." I smiled and kissed him deeply. This time it was me and not some urge that wasn't my own. "So do I look better?" I asked him.

"You look much better." He said and kissed me again.

"Really?" I asked.

"Your eye is still purple but not swollen anymore and your lip is cracked but it looks a lot better." He told me.

"Thank you." I said and kissed him. Cooper whined and put his front feet on the bed. "I'm going to take the dog out." I said and kissed him again before rolling out of bed.

"I'll come with you." Dean said rolling out.

"You don't need to." I told him.

"I know I don't need to but I am not leaving you alone." He replied.

"I love you." I smiled and was going to kiss him but stopped. "Did I just say that?" I asked aloud.

"You did." Dean replied. "Did you mean it?"

"I don't know. What would you say if I did?" I asked.

"I don't know." He replied.

"Than just pretend I didn't say it." I said and kissed him.

"It's not that I don't care for you…" He said and paused.

"I know. Don't worry about it." I smiled at him. "Coop's gotta go."

"Come on then." He said taking my hand.

We walked a few blocks before turning back. The whole time Dean held onto my hand but we spoke little. I couldn't believe that I had told him I loved him. I wasn't even sure if it were true. I couldn't deny that the words had some affect on him. It made talking uneasy even if touching wasn't a problem. But we had never had trouble with that. The first time we had had sex was when I practically hated him. Now things were different and I did care deeply for him but I wasn't sure if it was love. It wasn't the same as when I was with Jim, but than again it shouldn't be. The whole thing was all I could think about as we walked.

"Dean…I…" I said and stopped. Cooper stopped and was staring at me. His hackles were raised and a low growl erupted in his throat. "Dean…" I said watching the dog.

A moment later a scream escaped me and I fell forward as pain seared through my back. I screamed again and again as the pain continued in my back.

"Evy!" Dean said kneeling in front of me.

I yelled again as I gripped his arms enduring the pain. When it finally stopped I took deep breaths and tried to control my shaking and the tears that were streaming down my face. I let go of Dean with one hand and put it on my back. The action was painful. My fear grew as I felt the welts on back. I brought my fingers back and saw red on them. I looked at Dean and he moved next to me and moved the fabric from my back. My shirt was torn.

"Let's go." Dean said and helped me up.

We were getting looks from passerbies, hastening us back to the hotel. When we got back to the room Sam was sitting at the table with his lap top open.

"Morning." I smiled at him.

"Morning." He replied. "No coffee?" He asked Dean.

"Sorry, it slipped my mind." He replied. "Can you go get me some cold water with the ice bucket. Ice would probably be nice too."

"Everything okay?" He asked.

I winced with pain as I laid down on the bed. "Find anything?" I asked him.

"No. What happened?" He asked coming over.

"John call?" I countered.

"No." He replied. "Are you going to tell me what happened?"

"What do you think happened?" Dean frowned at him. "Please do what I asked you to do."

"Okay." Sam said and left the room.

Dean and I didn't say anything as we waited and when Sam got back I had to endure rags being put on my back as Dean cleaned the wounds and tried to keep the swelling down.

"What are we going to do now?" I asked when he was done.

"We'll just have to keep looking." Dean said rubbing his face.

"I've got an idea." I told them. "I think that we shouldn't worry about me." They both looked at me with disbelief. "I am so sick of being worried about. Believe it or not this whole thing has finally made me get over what happened before. Maybe it's because death isn't as scary when it's staring you in the face. But really, we can't worry about me. There are a lot of people out there that need our help. Wasting all this time on my problem is risking the lives of countless others. So let's go do something about it." I finished.

"That's very noble of you but I don't think so." Dean replied.

"Why not?" I asked almost pleadingly. "We're solving nothing by wasting time on this. We have nothing to go on."

"We've had nothing before." Sam replied.

"Fine. Let's just waste more time while other people suffer because of it." I snapped at them.

"It's frustrating, I know, but we're not going to watch you die while we go save other people. We'll save you first then worry about them." Dean told me.

I was about to protest when the door opened and John waltzed into the room. My breath caught as I looked at him. A smile then appeared and I rushed to him, throwing my arms around his neck.

"John!" I grinned. "What are you doing here?" I said so happy to see him.

"I know who she is." He told me. "How are you?" He smiled.

"Now that you're here I'm fantastic." I smiled. "Who is she?" I asked.

"Her name is Lauren Smith. Here's a picture." He said handing me a piece of paper.

I took it and looked at the face I'd seen many times before. "This is her." I said softly.

"Has it happened again?" He asked.

"Yes." I replied. "What made you change your mind?" I asked him.

"Looking at her medical records and the report after her death. This is serious." He told me.

"Oh, great, just when I was trying to convince them that I'd be all right." I said crossing my arms.

"Hi dad." Dean said raising his hand.

"Dean…" He said and hugged his son. He hugged Sam next a broad smile on his face. "Are you two okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, we're fine." Sam replied.

"How do we stop it?" I interrupted.

"I'm not sure yet. But we have a name. We'll figure it out." John said and kissed my forehead.

We spent the next forty-eight hours researching on the internet and going through all of the paperwork that John had brought with him. We ate more Chinese food then we ever had before and for the first time in a while I believed that everything was going to be okay.

I laughed as we all talked during a little bit of down time. "I'm happy you came." I smiled at John.

"I shouldn't have come but I didn't want to hear of your death without seeing you again." He replied.

"Yes well, now you all can pick out my coffin together." I grinned.

"Evy…" Dean said frowning at me. Sam looked at me sadly.

"What?" I said shrugging. "If it's going to happen than it's going to happen. Might as well make light on the subject." I told them.

"It's not funny." Dean told me.

I looked at him and knew what he was thinking. I leaned over and put my hand on his chest. "Hey…" I said making him meet his eyes. "I'm not giving up." I told him.

He gave me a small smile and looked away. "So –" I started but abruptly stopped when tightness filled my chest. "Dean…" I said and reached out for him.

He was starting to reach for me when my arm was suddenly pinned against the headboard followed by my other. I looked at the men. My breathing hard. John got off the bed and looked at me. I could hardly breathe as it felt like my body was being pressed down upon by one much larger. My body was being twisted and pulled as I was being raped by the invisible force. My eyes were locked onto the ceiling, unable to look away. I tried to ask for help. I tried making it stop but I was unable to say a word. It came out in groans and whimpers. Tears ran from the corners of my eyes as it continued. When it finally released me I sat forward and reached for Dean but my vision blurred and I was her.

_I was looking through her eyes as her husband came at her. He backhanded her hard, causing her to fall from the bed. He came around and grabbed her by the neck, lifting her to her feet. He grabbed her arm and pinned it against the wall. He stared at her. I looked into the eyes of a man so terrifying. His face softened momentarily before it hardened again and she was thrown to the floor._

I was gasping for air as it stopped and the hotel room came back into view. I was lying on the floor. I put my hands to my head and tried to stop my shaking. A moment later Dean came around me, pulling me up into his arms. I cried into him, unable to stop myself. I wrapped my arms around him and waited for the pain to stop. When I leaned away from him I looked into his eyes and the way he was looking at me took some of the pain away. I ran my hand down his face. We were suddenly conscious of the two other men in the room and he helped me to my feet. I yelled momentarily with the knowledge of the newest pains my body had endured. I looked at the bed and turned away, sitting at the small table. I rested my head in my hands and thought a moment. I looked up at them and wiped the tears from my cheeks.

"So what do we do now?" I asked.

"I'm sorry." John said kneeling next to me.

"Hey…" I smiled. "Don't worry about me. I'll be okay."

He gave a short laugh. "Yeah, I know." He smiled. "You've always been okay."

"And I always will be." I smiled.

There was a moment of silence before John looked at me with concern again. "How long?" He asked.

I thought a moment. "I don't know." I replied shaking my head. "If I'm right it went on for months. I don't know how far along the whole thing is. I don't know if it's in order or if it's random. There is no way of knowing. This one was almost better than the others. I'm only mildly bruised and other than the…" I said and stopped. "I don't know." I repeated lowering my eyes.

"According to her records how long ago did they think her ribs had been broken?" Sam asked.

John went back to the medical records and read through the report. "Two months." He replied.

"So we have a few weeks to figure it out." Sam stated.

"Two maybe." I corrected. "There was a small break between the bat and the worst beating. And the whipping was just today. Then this one. I've never had it happen twice in one day. He grabbed my throat this time. It's closer than we think." I told them.

Now that we were all worried and tired, I decided that Cooper needed a walk. Dean was about to follow me when John stopped him. I looked at him and mouthed 'sorry' to him before following John out of the room. We walked through the halls in silence. It'd been a while since I had seen him. I would've thought that we would be saying more. I guess my mind was full of other worries. Once we were out of the building I took a deep breath of the cool night air. The hotel was on the outskirts of town and the road was quiet. Trees lined both sides of the road. I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair.

"So tell me how you're really doing." John said breaking the silence.

I smiled and gently bumped into him. "I'm doing as good as can be expected." I told him. "In a way I'm just waiting for the end. Thinking how maybe I should just take off so Dean and Sam won't have to watch it. I don't want the last thing I see is their scared faces as they helplessly watch me die." I said and looked up at him. He had a sad expression on his face.

"We're going to figure it out Evy." He told me.

"Maybe…" I replied. He glared at me. "What? I'm sorry but I don't want to get my hopes up just because we now have an ID. I have been preparing myself and I'm not going to stop until it's over or I get to watch my fat grandkids play in the yard."

"Like I said, we're going to figure it out." He repeated.

I smiled at him. "Thank you John." I said and stood on my toes to kiss his cheek.

He put an arm around me as we walked. We only went a few blocks further when Cooper stopped. He turned and faced me, his hackles slowly rising. I stopped and looked at him, frowning.

"Oh God." I said and looked up at John. "It's happening again." I told him.

"What?" He asked.

"Cooper…" I said and looked at the dog.

He started to growl and bark. As his barking intensified tightness formed in my chest. I looked up at John. I was scared, unsure if I would see him again. The next thing I knew my feet were pulled out from under me. John dropped and tried to grab me but I was quickly pulled away from him, being dragged into the woods. I knew then that this was it. I was pulled several yards in when I was suddenly released. I looked around me as my vision blurred.

_Lauren was running through the woods. She was dirty and bloody. She kept looking behind her. She paused momentarily to catch her breath before continuing on._

"_Lauren!" Her name was being screamed._

_She practically burst into tears as she started to run faster, trying so hard to get away._

"_You know better than to run away!"_

_It was her husband. He appeared behind her. He was only walking but it seemed he was gaining ground like nothing._

"_Sweetie!" He yelled. "I just want to talk to you!"_

_She frantically made her way through the woods. She ran, even though she knew he would find her. She stopped and hid behind a large tree. The trunk was wide enough to conceal her. She waited for him to pass. He stopped near her but she stifled the scream that wanted to come out of her. When it seemed like he had gone far enough she crawled out from behind the tree and backtracked through the woods. She got up and started to run; only a moment later her hair was grabbed and she was pulled backward against the man who was chasing her. His arm wrapped around her throat._

My vision blurred and the woods came back into view. I was lying on the ground. My breathing was hard but I felt okay. Something was off. Something just didn't fit this time. I heard my name being called.

"John!" I yelled.

"Evy!" I heard again.

"I'm over here!" I said and got to my feet. I was immediately thrown back to the ground. "Shit." I said rolling onto my stomach. "I'm pinned!" I yelled.

A moment later I saw John only Dean and Sam were with him. They tried running toward me but it were as if they hit an invisible force field and were thrown backward.

"Thanks for trying." I told them as we all looked at each other.

"Is he here?" Sam asked.

"I don't know. All I know is that I can't get up." I said and looked around. "Shit." I said as an embankment came into view.

"What is it?" Dean asked.

"There's a hill, just to her left." John replied.

They all looked at the hill and we all knew what was going to happen next. "This sucks." I told them.

"It's not over yet." Dean said and tried to run toward me. He was thrown back.

"I love you. You know that?" I asked them. "I love all three of you…so much." Tears came to my eyes.

"Don't do that." Sam told me shaking his head.

"I love you too." Dean said softly.

"Really?" I asked him.

"I think so, yeah." He replied.

I laughed and looked up at him. "Thanks for letting me know." I told him.

"Evy…" John said as he leaned against a tree, looking at me.

"It's been fun." I smiled at him.

* * *

Almost an hour had gone by and we were all still in the same position that we had been in before. I hummed to myself as I lay on my stomach still waiting. Dean and Sam were fiddling with leaves and sticks, while John still had his eyes on me.

"Okay…" I said starting to get annoyed. "I don't know what's taking so long. This is ridiculous." I told them.

"Yup." Dean said and threw the leaf he had just shredded.

"Have any of you seen the supernatural work this way?" I asked them. "This force field thing and this buildup of suspense?" They all shook their head at me. I sighed and rested my head on my hand. "Like I said…ridiculous."

"Yup." Dean repeated and looked at me.

I tried to get up again. I was expecting resistance but none came. I looked at the men and they all got to their feet. I quickly got to my feet and ran toward them. John got to me first. I threw my arms around his neck. I smiled at him, kissing his cheek. I turned to Sam and put my hands on his face. I put my arm around him and looked at Dean. I grinned at him before I walked up to him, putting my arms around his neck. He hugged me tightly as I ran my hand down the back of his head. We were just turning to go when my hair was grabbed and I was pulled backward. There was pressure on my throat before I was thrown to the ground. I fought with my invisible attacker for only a brief time before my worst fear was starting to come true. It felt like someone was sitting on me and hands wrapped around my throat.

"Dean…" I got out as I struggled for breath.

"Evy!" He said coming over me.

He put his hands on my throat but there was nothing there for him to grab. They couldn't help me. I put my hands over Dean's as I fought to breathe. I tried to talk, there were so many things that I wanted to say, but no words could pass my lips. This was the second time this would happen. The second time that I would have to die. It didn't look like I was going to get out of this one. My world started to go black when my vision blurred…

_Rain was pouring down. Lauren's body was lying at the bottom of the hill. Her husband stood at the top of it. He walked away and a moment later Lauren's eyes cracked open. She wasn't dead. She slowly got to her feet. She looked up at the hill and watched as her husband staggered back toward the road. It seemed as if a new anger was driving her as she followed him. As she followed she picked up a large stick. Large enough to cause damage. She followed him to the road. She watched as he got into his truck and started it. As she walked up behind the truck he spun the tires. They picked up a rock, hitting her hard in the head. She fell backward and rolled into the deep ditch._

I slowly opened my eyes to see upside-down trees. I was being carried. I closed my eyes again and furrowed my brows as I remembered what I saw. I heard sniffling and I opened my eyes again. I turned my head and saw that it was Dean who was carrying me. I put my hand up on his back. He froze and looked down at me. He put his head back and tears ran from the corners of his eyes. He gently laid me on the ground, pulling my upper body into his arms. He buried his face in my neck, his body shaking. I wrapped my arms around him, caressing the back of his head.

"Hey, it's okay." I told him softly. I looked behind him and Sam wiped his face and John turned away. I frowned and pulled away from Dean. I gently caressed his face and looked him in the eyes. "What is it?" I asked him. Dean just looked at me and shook his head before kissing me deeply. I smiled at him and looked at John.

"You were dead." He replied lowering his eyes.

"What do you mean?" I asked. "Dean…?" I said looking at him. He nodded. "I'm fine. I'm right here." I said making him look at me.

"You were dead." He told me again. "That thing strangled you. We tried to bring you back but…" He said and stopped.

"Hm, well I'm alive now." I told him. "Help me up." He did and I leaned against him. "She wanted her story told." I told them. "She wasn't dead after he strangled her. She was still alive. She followed him back to the truck, ready to take out her revenge. But he spun the tires as he drove off and picked up a rock that hit her. That's what killed her. It wasn't the attempted murder. It was a freak accident afterward. She wants her revenge."

"Wait, what?" Sam asked.

I laughed. "I know. It doesn't make any sense." I told them. "What's her husband's name?" I asked John.

"Brad Smith." He replied.

"Let's go find us a man." I smiled at them.

"Hey…" John said grabbing my arm. I looked up at him. "I'm glad you're not dead." He said softly.

I smiled and hugged him tightly. "I am too." I said and kissed his forehead. "I am too."

We found Brad Smith's address and tracked him down to a bar where he was known as a regular. We went in and called him out. I let the men have their fun while I waited with a tape recorder in hand. Once they had him confessing I got it all on tape and we called the cops. Not an hour later our statements were given and Brad was arrested for the murder of his wife Lauren Smith. With the job done we returned to the motel for a good nights sleep. Only when we got back I was wide awake. The men looked warn out but I felt almost accomplished after what happened. Lauren wanted revenge for what he had done to her and now it was complete.

"There's not a mark on you." Dean said as he looked me over.

"I feel great." I smiled at him. They all kept looking at me. "I'm fine guys. Really, I am." I told them.

"We know." John replied. "But you were dead for nearly twenty minutes. It's a miracle."

I looked at them and tried to imagine what it was like. "I'm sorry." I told them.

"Don't be." Dean said looking at me.

"We're just glad you're okay." Sam told me.

"Me too." I smiled at him. "Cooper?" I said looking at the dog. "Sniff me over. Am I okay?" I asked the dog.

He came up and smelled me. He sat back and wagged his tail before letting out a loud bark. I laughed and pulled the dog against me. Dean leaned against me and kissed me deeply as he stroked the dog.


	18. Riley

**Disclaimer: The usual**

**A/N: Here is the next chapter! I hope you enjoy and thank you so much for the reviews!!**_**Chapter Eighteen: Riley**_

* * *

The sun was warm and there was a cool breeze coming off of the lake. I stood on the dock, leaning against the railing looking out over the water. Cooper was sitting next to me. He was watching fish swim around in the water. I smiled and stroked his head. Things hadn't been this calm in a while. Things had been so hectic over the past few weeks that this small amount of time alone was well needed. Dean had turned from the cold hearted hunter to the role of concerned boyfriend. I wasn't sure if that's what he actually was but he was acting like it. I more I thought about it the more I realized that it would be nice to be worried about again. I missed having a man around that was there for me in more than just a friend way. The comfort that came with it was welcoming but the worrying side of it was getting slightly on the annoying side. I just wanted things to go back to normal. I wanted to be able to do what needed to be done and not worry about anything, other then the job. I wanted to do the job and save other people for a change. I was sick of being the damsel in distress.

"Ready to go?" I asked the dog. He looked up at me and whined before looking back at the swimming fish. "Fine, just a few more minutes."

I was just about to turn away from the water when I noticed the surface in front of me start to spin and the water twisted up into the air before the wind blew it away. I took a step back from the railing and watched the water. At first it made me nervous but then the light bulb went on and a smile crossed my face. It was a surprise but it would make a welcome distraction.

"Riley Newberry." I smiled and turned around.

"Evy Connors." He smiled at me.

I laughed and ran up to him, putting my arms around his neck. "Your hair's gone." I smiled and rubbed his head. "What are you doing here?" I asked him.

"I tracked you down." He replied.

"But why?" I asked him. "The last time I saw you, you were lying in a hospital bed telling me that you weren't cut out for the demon hunting world."

"I've been traveling and heard wind that you were in the area." He replied.

"From who?" I asked him, suddenly nervous.

"I don't know. This guy confronted me and told me that you were around and that I should look you up." He explained.

"How did he know you knew me?" I asked him.

"I don't know." He told me. "It was weird. We talked for only a few minutes but as he walked away I could have sworn he had yellow eyes."

"What?" I asked, my breath catching in my throat.

The next thing I knew he was being tackled. I jumped from the sudden commotion and looked down at John on top of him.

"John, get off of him." I said calmly.

"Get up!" John said pulling Riley to his feet.

"John, this is Riley Newberry. He can levitate things." I told him. "He just had a run in with our mutual friend. The yellow eyed demon."

We all exchanged glances and looked at Riley. "What?" Riley asked.

"He's the leader of the demons." I told him. "He's the one who's been after us. He's to blame for everything."

A sense of recognition crossed his face. "Oh…" He said and dropped his eyes.

"'Oh' is right." I replied.

"Where were you when he told you this?" John asked him.

"About an hour north from here. I don't remember the town's name." Riley said clearly embarrassed by the incident and now his lack of information.

"Looks like it's time for me to move on." John said and looked at me.

I nodded looking back at him. "We'll go with you."

He shook his head. "No." He said flatly.

"Don't fight me on this John. When are you going to realize that we are in this together?" I asked him.

"We're not in this together. This is something I have to do." He replied. The distant look in his eyes was back. I knew that this was for his wife. I knew why he had to do it alone but it had never sat right with me. I shook my head but knew that there was no chance I'd win this fight. "And don't even think about trying to follow me." He said pointing a finger at me, a playful look in his eyes again.

"You don't know that's what I was thinking." I glared at him.

He laughed. "Yes I do." He said walking away.

"John…" I said following him.

I argued with him the entire way back to the hotel. There was no changing his mind but I couldn't help but try while I had him in my sites. By the end of the day everyone was packing and one was about to break from the group. Cooper was stretched out on the bed. I smiled at him and sat on the edge. I was alone for the moment and took it as a chance to think. The demon had talked to Riley telling me that he's been talking to us all. I didn't know what kind of game he was playing but I knew that it was going to get worse for us. It was going to get worse for us all. My mind was working in high gear when the door opened. I looked up into John's face. I smiled and looked at my hands.

"Truck all loaded?" I asked him.

"You all packed?" He replied.

We both nodded at each other. "Can I go with you?" I blurted out without knowing I was going to ask it.

John smiled. "You know the answer to that." He told me.

"I am going crazy with this back and forth thing you're doing. You're here and then you're not. You call and then you don't. I don't like it. Dean doesn't like it." I told him.

"I was going to ask you about that." He said crossing his arms, leaning against the wall. "What's between you and my boy?" He asked.

"Nothing." I said looking away from him.

"That's not 'nothing'." He told me.

"I don't know." I told him sharply.

"Why don't you know?" He asked.

"Because I have strong feelings for so many men right now that I can't see straight. Do you know what it's like to be the only girl with a bunch of men?" I asked him. "And we have so many bigger things to worry about than Dean and my relationship." I told him.

"So you love him." He stated. "You said you did. He said he loved you."

"I thought I was dying." I said standing. "We all did. People say some weird things." I replied.

"I didn't." John told me, an odd tone to his voice.

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

"I have to admit something to you and you're not going to like it. I don't like it but it's just the way it is." He replied.

"Tell me." I told him.

"I think I'm in love you." He said and laughed. "Actually, I have loved you for a while. How ridiculous is that?" He said grinning.

"It's not ridiculous." I frowned at him, though I was taken aback by his words.

"Yes it is." He told me. "I could be your father."

"You know how I feel about that." I looked at him sadly. But rubbed my brow, trying to think of what to do. "Where is all of this coming from? Why are you telling me this?" I asked.

"Because I thought you should know. I thought you should know that I love you. When we thought we'd lost you I felt like I did when my wife was murdered. I felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest."

"John…" I said as I wiped a tear from my cheek.

"Let me finish." He told me. "I'm their father so I didn't say or do anything too emotional in front of my boys, but once I took a minute for myself you wouldn't think me strong." He paused and watched me. I didn't know what to think about this new information. "I can't take you with me because I wouldn't be able to stand it if something happened to you because of me. Dean and Sam can take care of you better than I can. I don't know how you feel about them but I know that they both care a great deal for you. More than anyone who's outside the family. You're safe with them." He finished.

"I know." I told him. "But I'm safe with you too. I worry about you John. You're all alone." He nodded. "I do love you." I added. "I'm a little surprised by all of this. It's a little unexpected. No, _a lot_ unexpected."

"I know. But now you know." He said and turned away.

"John…" I said grabbing his arm. "What do you want me to do?" I asked him. "What do you expect of me?"

"Nothing." He whispered. "I don't want anything from you and you're already more than I expected."

I closed my eyes and tears slid down my cheeks. "Likewise." I said looking at him. This felt like a goodbye and I didn't want him to disappear again. I was growing closer to his son everyday but that didn't mean I didn't care for him or want him to stay.

The next thing I knew John pulled me against him, his lips meeting mine. He kissed me, and I found my lips forming around his. It felt good but confusion flowed over me as Dean's face popped into my head. I kissed him lightly before pulling away from him.

"I can't." I told him, my hands on his chest.

"I know." He said nodding. "Dean…right?" He asked.

I looked at my feet before looking up at him and nodding. "Yeah. There's more there then I think. This is just another little bit of clarity."

"Yeah." John said and put his hand on my cheek.

"Can you do me a favor?" I asked him.

"Of course." He replied.

"I can't believe I'm going to say this but…can you stay away for a while?" I asked him. "It's so confusing with you coming and going. I won't call unless I need to. You won't call unless you need to and when you do, call Dean or Sam. If something breaks with the Demon, show up or call, that's fine. I'll do the same. But this coming and going is so hard on all of us. Things happen when you're gone, things happen when you're here…it makes it so confusing. It's hard on me and it's hard on your boys. It has to be hard on you too. I can't keep doing it, John. Can you?" I asked.

He shook his head. "No, I can't. If you weren't with them I would have stayed away. You're right about it all." He replied.

"I don't need to hear that I'm right." I smiled at him. "I just want us all to be okay and to be safe."

"We will be. Someday, we will be." He said and kissed my forehead.

I reached up and kissed his cheek. "Come on, I'll watch you drive away." I smiled at him.

"No." He said and ran his fingers through my hair. "I don't want you to watch. I'll be seeing you." He said and kissed my forehead again before leaving the room.

A few minutes later Dean came in. He stood in front of me. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah." I smiled up at him from the bed.

He put his hands on my face and kissed me lightly. "I'm hungry."

"Can't imagine what for." I grinned at him.

He laughed and pulled me up from the bed. "Let's get a pizza." He told me.

"No." I said shaking my head. "I'm in the mood for Chinese."

* * *

I pulled the sheet up as I looked over at Dean. The sex was good but still a little new to me. The whole thing was still a little new to me. After what John had told me there was so much going through my head. Before I met Dean and Sam I had my moments of fantasy, thinking about John. He was a wonderful man. He was a catch in more than one way. He was attractive and exciting and he could kill any demon without breaking a sweat. But I never let myself go as far as what John had shown me. He meant the world to me, but the man lying next to me meant more.

The sky was clear and the moon was shining through the window. I rolled over and watched Dean sleep. I gently ran my finger across his lips before getting out of bed. I put on one of his button-ups before going into the bathroom. I looked at myself in the mirror and tried to remember what it was like before the visions, before the life I lived now. More importantly, I tried to remember Jim and the way we were. But I couldn't…I couldn't remember what it was like. I had lived this life and had gone through so much that the person I used to be was gone. There was only the person I had become and the people I shared my life with. I took a deep breath and tried to push John and everything else out of my head. We had a job to do and even though, sooner or later, we'd search for him again I didn't want to think about him for a while.

"Hey…" I said to Dean when I opened the door.

"Are you okay?" He asked me. I rolled my eyes and moved past him. "Evy…" He said following me.

I pulled pants on and grabbed Cooper's leash. "Listen, I think I'm going to take Cooper for a walk." I told him putting on my shoes.

"It's the middle of the night." He frowned at me.

"Yeah, but the dog doesn't care. He's got to go." I replied.

"He's sleeping on the bed." Dean said looking at the dog. I followed his eyes to the dog. He was snoring away on the bed, stretched out on the end. "What are you going to do? Wake him up and drag him from the room?"

"Fine. He's was my excuse. I just need to get out of this room." I told him. "We spend so much time in hotel rooms. I can't stand it anymore. I'm suffocating."

"Than just talk to me." He replied.

"I can't Dean." I frowned at him. "I wouldn't know what to say."

"It's easy. You just tell me what's wrong." He told me.

I was going to say something but Sam moved. I took Dean's hand and took him from the room. We walked down the hall and outside. I took a deep breath and turned to him. "Fine, you want me to talk I'll talk." I told him. "Walk with me." He fell in line next to me as we walked down the street. "I've had a lot of things on my mind, Dean. Riley's back and has seen the demon. Your dad told me things that made my head kind of funny. I'm sleeping with you. Sam is the third wheel and I can't make him happy. I have a dog that can sense the supernatural and I'm just confused. And I need you to stop asking me if I'm okay. It's getting so old. You _need_ to stop."

He nodded but had a small frown on his face. "What did my dad tell you?" He asked.

"What am I to you?" I countered stepping in front of him.

"What?"

"What am I to you?" I repeated. "Am I your girlfriend? Am I just your lover? Tell me, what I am to you."

"What do you want to be?" He asked.

"No, it doesn't work that way. I need to know what I am to you. How do you feel about me? You said you loved me but did you mean it?" I asked him.

"Of course I meant it." He frowned, his voice rising.

"Okay." I nodded and continued walking. "What are we going to do about Riley? He doesn't know what he's doing and now that the demon is playing hardball I don't know what to expect. I've seen him twice recently and now we know he's talking to others." I said and groaned. "I don't know what to do. And I think I love you and that scares me. It's the first time since Jim and I'm afraid to love again. Even if it's not love it's strong enough feelings that I'm afraid of it." I said and stopped, looking at him. "So what are you thinking?" I asked him crossing my arms.

He just looked at me and took a deep breath, walking again. "I think I'm just as scared as you are. I have loved only one woman and that was more of a fling than anything. I do love you. And I'd like to think you're mine. If that's alright." He said looking at me.

I stopped and looked up at him. "I think I'm okay with that." I said and kissed him deeply.

"Did you think we'd end up here?" He asked as he put his arm around my waist.

"Never. But there's time for it to fall apart." I smiled and looked up at him.

"Thanks for your vote of confidence." He said and kissed me gently. I laughed and leaned against him. "By the way, my shirt looks good on you." He smiled.

"Feels good too." I laughed and kissed him.

"So what did my dad tell you?" He asked.

"It doesn't matter." I sighed. "I've got all I need right here."

We turned around and went back to the room. We were walking down the hall when I paused at Riley's room. I heard his voice and was about to move on when a more familiar one caught my ear. I froze and looked at the door.

"Oh my God…" I said staring at the door.

"What is it?" Dean asked me.

"The demon is in his room. He's in there." I said quietly.

The next thing I knew Dean was kicking the door open. He rushed in with me right behind him. I heard frantic barking from a few doors down. _Cooper._ I thought as I looked around the room. Riley was alone but the door to the balcony was open.

"What did he say to you?" I asked Riley.

"Did who say what?" He replied.

Dean slammed him up against the wall. "We know the demon was here. What did he say to you?" Dean asked forcefully.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Riley replied. "I was talking to myself."

"We have to go." I said putting my hand on Dean's arm.

Dean let go of Riley and we left the room. We went the few doors down and slid the key into the door, pushing it open. Cooper tried to dart out of the room but I grabbed him, pushing him back.

"What's going on?" Sam asked.

"Pack." I told him as I grabbed my things.

"Evy, what is it?" Sam asked concerned.

"Riley's not who he says he is. The demon was talking to him and he denied it. Something is going on and we're not going to stick around to find out. Plus Dean just broke the door down. We need to go." I told him.

I was the last to leave the room. The boys were loading the car, Cooper with them. I had finished double-checking the room and turned to leave when a figure stood in the doorway.

"What are you doing here?" I asked the yellow-eyed man. "Why were you talking to Riley?"

"We had a nice little chat." He grinned.

"What did you say to him?" I asked.

"Nothing that he didn't want to hear." He replied.

"Bullshit!" I yelled at him.

"Lost your fears toward me have you?" He grinned wider.

I gave a short laugh. "Yes, I suppose I have. I've died twice. What more do I have to fear?"

His grin turned sinister. "The death of the people you love." He said and turned away.

I stood there, my eyes wide. For whatever reason I ran after him. "Wait!" I called running down the hall. "Hey!" I couldn't see where he went. A sudden dread filled me and I ran down to the car. I practically flew out of the door and ran toward the car. Cooper was barking and when I got there the demon was standing in front of them. "Dean!" I yelled. I ran toward him only to see him fly backward into the windshield of a car. "Sam!" I yelled. I ran toward Dean but looked back at the demon. He was gone and Sam was rushing toward his brother. "Dean!" I said reaching him. He was unconscious. "Dean…Dean, baby wake up." I said grabbing his jacket.

"Dean…" Sam said grabbing his brother's arm.

"Oh God…" I said noticing blood on the spidered windshield. "Dean…" I said and ran my hand down his face. "Sam?" I said looking at him.

"What happened?" Riley said running up to us.

"You son of a bitch!" I yelled and punched him as hard as I could. I wasn't going to stop there but an arm wrapped around my waist. "Let me go!" I yelled, fighting against them. I got free and lunged at Riley. I tackled him to the ground and started to punch him as many times as I could. I was pulled off of him and I freed myself again, running my fingers through my hair. I looked back at Dean and he was supporting himself on his forearm. "Dean…" I said and ran to him, putting my arms around his neck. "Are you okay?" I asked holding his head in my hands.

"Yeah." He said with a cocky smile and a small shrug.

I grinned at him and kissed him deeply. "Are you sure?"

He nodded and slid from the car. "Yes." He said before straightening and facing Riley. "Happy?" He asked. "What do you think you're doing siding with the demon?" He asked angrily.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Riley replied.

"Riley!" I yelled at him. "How can you deny your involvement with him? What has he promised you?"

"Nothing." He said, but there was something there. Something that he wasn't saying.

"You're lying." I told him. "You found me to find out what we know about him. You're working for him." I said, the thought popping into my head. "That's it isn't it?" I asked him.

"You don't know what you're talking about." He told me coldly.

"No, it's _you_ who doesn't know. He killed your mom for Christ's sake." I said throwing up my arms. "You have no idea who you're dealing with."

"And you do?" He asked.

"Way more than you." I replied.

"You're going to get yourself killed." Sam told him.

"So what?" Riley said opening his arms defensively.

"Riley…what happened to you?" I asked him. "You were fine and now…" I said not knowing how to finish the sentence.

"I'm still fine." He shot at me. "I have to go." He said turning away from us.

"Riley!" Sam yelled.

"Let him go." I told him and turned back to Dean. "Come on; let's get you to the hospital."

"I'm fine, Evy." He told me.

"No, you're not. Your head is bleeding and you probably need stitches." I told him.

"So you do it. Let's get out of here." He replied and tossed me the keys as he walked to the car.

I took a deep breath and got into the drivers seat. I started the car and looked at my men before leaving the parking lot. We drove for a few hours before finding another place to stay. I sent the men to get a room while I went to get some supplies. When I got back Sam was wearing his worried face and Dean was sitting on the edge of the bed, his head in his hands. I dumped the contents of the bag out on one of the beds and took the hydrogen peroxide and gauze over to Dean.

"How are you feeling?" I asked him.

"Like I was thrown into a car." He replied.

"How's your head?" I asked as I started to clean the cut.

"Do you have what you need?" He asked.

"Yeah…I don't want to do this." I told him as I looked at the gash on his head.

"I trust you." He told me sweetly.

I took a deep breath and cleaned the cut until it was nearly raw. I took a deep breath and opened the sterile needle package with suture material already attached to it.

"Where did you get that?" Sam asked me.

"You don't want to know." I smiled at him. "I just wish I had a sedative or tranquilizer for you. This is going to hurt." I told Dean.

"I can take it." He told me.

"I doubt it, but here we go anyway." I told him and took another deep breath.

I didn't waste any time putting the needle through his skin. It took only a few stitches to close the wound and after I was done I couldn't help but smile at my handy work. Sam was helping his brother deal with the pain but it really didn't do much good. Dean was shaking and once I had cleaned the wound again I forced him to lie down. He was on his stomach, not wanting to lie on the stitches. He looked tired and I gently caressed his face as I watched him. He closed his eyes and soon was asleep. I wasn't about to take advantage of him but I lifted up his shirt to see heavy bruising and a few cuts. I cleaned them out and put a blanket over him before sitting across from Sam at the table.

"What are we going to do?" I asked him.

"I don't know." He replied.

"The demon is showing himself more and more and I don't know what that means. I don't know what he's after or what he wants with Riley. He's been talking to me. Is he talking to everyone like us for some reason?" I asked him. "You haven't seen him have you? You haven't been keeping anything from me?"

"No, of course not." Sam said sadly.

"Okay." I said and looked at Dean. "Do you think he's okay?" I asked him.

"He's tough. I have no doubt that'll he'll be his charming self come morning." He smiled at me.

"I'm worried Sam." I told him. "I am so worried about all of this. The demon, me, Riley…even you. Dean is the odd man out here. He's fighting for something but he doesn't know what. He's protecting me and he's protecting you. Part of me wants to just take off again and figure it out on my own. But I –"

"Don't do that." Sam interrupted.

I frowned at him. "You cut me off."

"Sorry." He said and listened again. "I was going to say, but I can't bring myself to do it. I love you two too damn much and it just wouldn't be fair. We're in this together and I know that. I just wish it was a little less complicated. Can't the demon just leave us alone for a while? He keeps finding us while we're looking for him. You'd think he'd want to keep his distance." I finished.

"Yeah, but it seems to me that he's having a wonderful time messing with all of us." Sam replied.

"Yeah, but if that means that Dean and you are going to get hurt, finding him isn't worth it. Let's go in the opposite direction." I told him.

"Maybe we should." Sam smiled.

We sat there a few more minutes before I realized how tired I was. "I'm beat. Night." I said and kissed his forehead.

I took Cooper out once more before I changed and laid next to Dean on the bed. I got underneath the covers and turned on my side to face him. I leaned toward him and kissed his forehead. I felt tears in my eyes but I pushed them away and closed my eyes, leaving my hand on Dean's cheek. Everything was becoming so complicated. Who knew what would happen next?


	19. The Hunt Continues

_**Chapter Nineteen: The Hunt Continues**_

I sat in one of the chairs and watched Dean sleep. Sam had gone out for coffee, taking Cooper with him. So for the moment it was quiet. I rubbed my forehead and took a deep breath. Dean had been sleeping a lot and I couldn't help but wonder if it was infected and just not noticeable yet. It was one of the few times where I got to worry about him for a change. He wouldn't admit that he needs help but he would get it anyway. I called the nearest clinic and asked what kind of antibiotic I might need for Dean's type of injury. They were as helpful as they could be but I couldn't get it without having a prescription. He couldn't go in like this. Too many questions would be asked. I couldn't lie about this and even if I wanted to I couldn't get Dean out of the room by myself. The more I thought about it I realized that I was putting far too much thought into it. I went to my bag and fingered through my collection of IDs', finding the one that made me a doctor. I got dressed and left a note before leaving. I drove to the hospital and thought up a quick story before going in. It was easy getting in and after "consulting" with another doctor about a case of mine I left with the prescription that I needed.

"Hey." I smiled at Sam when I got back.

"Hey." He smiled back, his voice quiet.

"Is he still sleeping?" I asked him.

"Yeah." Sam nodded.

"Can I be worried now?" I asked.

"He was thrown pretty hard." Sam replied.

"Yeah, that's why I got him these." I said and held up the prescription.

"What's that?" He asked.

"An antibiotic that will hopefully help him." I replied. "I'm going to wake him up." I said and walked over to the bed. "Dean…" I whispered sitting on the bed next to him. "Time to wake up." I said and kissed his head. He didn't move. A pit fell in my stomach. "Dean?" I said rubbing his back. I looked at Sam. He got up, frowning. "Dean…" I said and rolled him over. "Honey?" I said putting my hand on his face. "He's burning up." I told Sam. "Dean, wake up." I said shaking him gently. "Dean?" I paused and looked at Sam. "Call 911."

I felt panicked as I watched the paramedics take Dean away. Tears were streaming down my face. Sam had his arm around me as we followed them from the hotel and to the hospital. They took Dean through the ER entrance and Sam and I had to stop at the desk. I paced the room as Sam started to fill out all the forms that needed to be done. I took the blame for this entirely. This was my fault. I knew he should have gone to the hospital. I couldn't stop pacing until the doctor came out to see us.

"How is he?" I asked him.

"He'll be okay. He's got a nasty infection. He's dehydrated and has a rather bad concussion. How did he get it?" He asked.

"He was involved in a fight and was thrown through a car windshield." Sam explained.

"But he's going to be okay?" I added quickly.

The doctor smiled. "Yes, he should be fine. I'd like to keep him for a couple days till the worst of it's over. He's lucky you found him in time."

"Can we see him?" I asked.

"Follow me." He replied and led us through the hospital.

When he stopped at Dean's door I said a quick 'thank-you' before rushing in. I rushed to his side and took his hand in mine. I held back my tears as I looked down at him. I ran my fingers through his hair and kissed his forehead.

"Hi baby." I whispered.

He slowly opened his eyes and looked up at me. He gave me a small smile. "Hey."

I smiled at him and kissed him gently. "How are you feeling?"

"Like crap." He replied airily.

"Sleep. I'll be here." I told him and kissed him again.

I pulled up a chair next to him and kissed his hand. He was asleep in minutes. Sam came in and took a seat on his other side. I smiled at him and he reached over and put his hand on my cheek. I put my hand over his and took a deep breath.

"Our lives are like a soap opera." I smiled at Sam.

He gave a short laugh. "Yeah, I suppose they are."

"I'm going to go get some coffee." I told him. "You want some?"

"Sure." He smiled.

"Okay." I said and ran my hand down Dean's face. "I'll be right back."

I left the room and found the coffee machine. I was on my way back with the cups when I froze. Standing in front of Dean's room door was the demon. I dropped the cups and ran forward only to be stopped by hospital security.

"That's her. She posed as a doctor here earlier." A nurse told the officers.

I turned and I saw Riley standing at the nurses' station. "No, wait!" I said trying to stop them. "I can explain! It's not what you think!" I told them as they forced me to the floor.

"You have the right to remain silent." One was telling me.

As they put the handcuffs on I looked up and Riley was standing next to the demon. His expression was grim but the demon's was of pure enjoyment.

"Sam!" I yelled as loud as I could.

Sam came flying out of the room. He saw our enemies before turning toward me. "Hey! What's going on?" He asked running up to me and the officers.

"It's under control sir." They told him.

"She's my friend. Where are you taking her?" He asked.

"We're taking her downtown. She was caught impersonating a doctor." They explained.

"Sam…" I said looking at him.

"It's going to be fine." He told me.

"Stay with Dean. Don't let him out of your site. We don't know what they want." I told him as they started to drag me away.

A moment later I was pushed through the door to the stairs and taken outside where a car was waiting.

* * *

I paced my cell. I was alone, to my relief, but it had been over three hours and they still hadn't given me my one phone call. They had, of course, taken my cell phone and I had no way of getting a hold of Sam. Of all the times to get caught. I was only trying to help Dean and he ended up in the hospital anyway. I punched the wall out of frustration, spending the next hour tending to my bleeding knuckles.

"Hey! I get one phone call!" I yelled. "I'd like it now please!"

"Shut up!" A guard yelled back.

"You stupid bastards! I get a phone call!" I yelled back.

The guard came into view. "I suggest you shut your mouth. You're in enough trouble." He told me.

"Not as much trouble as you're going to be in once I get out of here." I told him heatedly. He laughed and left. I yelled out in frustration. "I want my _damn _phone call!"

It didn't work and I was left alone for hours. The only way to entertain myself was to sing to myself or hold in-depth conversations with myself that later on made me feel rather foolish. In the end I sat on my cot and bounced my leg, not knowing what else to do.

"Can you at least tell me how my boyfriend is?" I yelled.

"He's all right." Sam said coming into view.

"Sam!" I said putting my arms through the bars.

"Evy…" He said doing the same. "Are you okay?" He asked me.

"Yes, I'm fine. Just thoroughly annoyed." I replied. "Can you get me out of here?" He didn't looked happy. "I take that as a no."

"I did my best but they're really pissed at you." He replied.

"This is ridiculous." I told him.

"I know. Hang in there a little longer."

"Is Dean really okay?" I asked him.

"Yes. He's still sleeping." He replied.

"Why did you leave him? I told you not to let him out of your site. What if they come back?" I asked him.

"I left him protected." He replied.

"Sam, Riley can move things with his mind. Unless you have it spectacularly hidden it won't do any good." I told him.

"It'll hold until I get back there." He replied.

"Than go now."

"I'm sorry." He said sadly.

"Don't be. I'll get myself out of this mess." I smiled at him.

"I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Don't worry about me. I've still got a few tricks up my sleeves." I grinned.

"See you soon." He said kissing my forehead before he left.

Moments later two guards came. They moved me from my private cell into one of the cells full of burly woman. They laughed as I protested and they shut the door in my face.

"Great…" I said and turned toward my new cellmates.

"Look who we have here." One grinned at me, stepping up to me.

"Back off." I told her harshly.

"Feisty are we?" She laughed stepping closer.

"I told you to back off." I replied getting in her face.

The next thing I knew I was punched…hard. She came at me again but it took little to elude her and soon she was half conscious in a corner. Only that didn't do me any favors and her group of faithful women came at me in her defense.

"This is ridiculous!" I yelled and punched one square in the nose, blood streaming from it as she stumbled backward.

Another came at me and I sidestepped, sending her head into the bars. By the time I was done I had a few fresh cuts and bruises but all in all I was one of few who were still standing. The others that were still on their feet were the ones that weren't participating in the fighting. I walked around the women on the floor.

"You got anything else?" I asked them. "Huh? Is there no one else that would like to try?" No one said anything. "Good. So back the hell off and leave me be." I said and sat on one of the beds.

"What the hell?" A guard said coming into view. "Get her out of there!" He yelled.

"But sir, we just put her in there." Another replied.

"I don't give a shit! Get her out of there!" He said pushing him toward the door.

"Do I get to leave?" I asked him.

"No. You are being moved for the safety of our other prisoners." He replied.

"This is ridiculous!" I yelled as the cuffs were put back on me. "Nice meeting you ladies." I smiled as I was led away. "My old cell. How wonderful." I said sarcastically as they tossed me in. "When am I going to get out of here?" I asked seriously.

"You're not. You were caught impersonating a doctor and after we figured that out we realized that medication was missing. I'm assuming you have that too. You're going to be here for a while." He replied.

"Where's your proof?" I asked him. He just glared at me and left.

The night came and went and I was still in my little cell. They had refused me dinner but that part didn't bother me. They still denied me my phone call. It was illegal to deny me it but it didn't seem like these cops were on the side of good. I was starting to get very discouraged as the sun started to set again when someone came around the corner. I was happy momentarily until I realized who it was.

"What the _hell_ are you doing here?" I asked him.

"Please, let me explain."

"Riley, I don't want to hear your explanations. I want you to get the hell out of here." I told him angrily.

"I was helping him. I will admit it. I was helping him but after what happened to Dean I don't want to anymore. He promised me that no harm would come to you and he's obviously lied." He told me quickly.

"Why do you think I care? He's a demon, of course he lied. What the hell is the matter with you?" I asked harshly. "You are so naïve. You have no idea what you've done." I told him.

"You're right." He said lowering his eyes. "You're right and I'm sorry."

"That is no where near good enough!" I yelled at him. "You brought hell to me and the brothers and you're sorry? You're lucky I'm in this cell or otherwise I'd rip you apart!" I said slamming against the bars. He jumped and took a step back. "When I get out of here you're going to need to run and to run far because if I find you I will kill you. You betrayed me, you betrayed the brothers but most of all you betrayed yourself. You were one of the good guys until you aligned yourself with him."

"He promised me things. Promised me wealth and power…all the things I wanted at the time." He told me.

"That doesn't make it okay." I replied. "I can't even look at you. You make me sick." I told him harshly.

"I came to help." He told me.

"I can't trust you. I don't know if you're telling me the truth." I said shaking my head.

The bars to the cell started to move and bend. Soon there was a gap big enough for me to exit from. "Hurry." He said and took off.

I waited a few moments before slipping out. I made my way out of the station. By the time I hit the free air Riley was gone. I didn't waste a moment making my way back to the hospital. It was only a couple blocks and by the time I got there I hoped that they wouldn't have noticed I wasn't there. I managed to sneak into the hospital and back up to Dean's room. I slipped into the room and closed the door as well as the curtain that encircled the bed.

"Evy…" Dean said looking at me.

"Hey." I smiled and kissed him deeply. "How are you?" I asked.

"I'm fine. How did you get here?"

"Riley." I told him flatly. "He showed up at the station and got me out. He told me that he's been helping the demon but that he didn't want to anymore."

"Do you believe him?" Sam asked me.

"Not for a second." I replied. "When are they releasing you?" I asked Dean.

"Right now." He replied pulling the covers off of himself.

"Stop." I told him, taking his hand in mine. "You need to stay for as long as they need you to. You scared me and I don't want to repeat it any time soon. And for the record, the next time I tell you that you need to go to the hospital, you should go."

"Lesson learned." He said with a small smile.

"If it makes you feel any better they were impressed with your stitches." Sam smiled.

"That helps a little." I smiled back. "I'm going to go. I'll call you." I said and kissed Dean again. "I love you." I whispered in his ear.

"I love you too." He whispered back.

"See you soon." I told Sam, kissing his cheek before I made my way from the hospital.

* * *

I paced the hotel room, Cooper watching me from the bed. It was on the outskirts of town and I used some random name and kept conversation to a minimum. I wasn't sure how far the police would go to find me but I wasn't about to take any chances. I had nothing on me so if I needed to make a quick get away it wouldn't be an issue. I called Sam and let him know where I was and to keep me posted on Dean's condition and when they were going to release him. Being alone left me plenty of time to think. I once again took the time to process everything. This whole thing was getting to be too big. Riley was in cahoots with the demon, the demon hurt Dean; I was now a fugitive…the list went on and on. The more I thought about it the more I realized that running away wasn't an option. We didn't need to look for him but running away was below us. After all, the demon could be anywhere at any time.

I fell asleep once the night had come and nearly gone. It was a nice sleep, one which I would have been happy to stay in but I woke with a start when Cooper started to growl. I shot up and looked at the door. It sounded like the lock was being jimmied. I hushed Cooper and grabbed the statue that decorated the small table. I stood against the wall next to the door and waited. The lock clicked and the door opened barely an inch. I stayed in the shadows until the figure was inside the room. The light from the parking lot shown in enough to tell me that this was no guest. I hit him on the back of the head and he fell forward onto the floor. Cooper leapt forward and grabbed him by the arm, biting down as hard as he could. I heard a crack and a yell before I turned on the lights. I looked down at Riley.

"Look who we have here." I said and took a chair, placing it in front of him before sitting backward in it. "I wouldn't move if I were you." I said resting my arms on the back of the chair.

"I think he broke my arm." Riley said painfully.

"I think you're right. I heard the crack." I told him calmly, in an almost cheerful manner.

"Call him off." Riley told me.

"What are you doing here?" I countered.

"I want to help." He replied.

"You want to spy." I corrected.

"You don't know what you're talking about." He told me, agony in his voice as Cooper moved his mouth. "Just call him off!" He yelled painfully.

"Why don't you think I know what I'm talking about?" I asked.

Riley tried to get up but he yelled in pain as Cooper growled and hardened his grip on the man's arm. "I only want to help!" He told me again.

"I don't believe you." I told him coldly.

"Please! I told the demon I wasn't going to help him anymore!"

"If you had really told him that than there is a good chance that you'd be dead." I replied.

"He still has plans for me. That's what he said. He has plans for _us_." He told me.

"I know he does." I stated. "He's told me that before. I also know that I can't believe a word you're telling me."

"You can I swear!" He yelled as Cooper growled.

"I wish I could trust you but you lost every ounce of trust in me when you were helping him. Dean is in the hospital because of you. I can never forgive you for that." I said looking down at him. I stood and put the chair back by the table. "Cooper…come." I said and the dog stepped backward until he was at my side.

"Since when do you have a dog?" He asked getting to his feet.

"Don't try and play nice Riley. I'll have him on you again in a blink of an eye." I told him harshly.

"All right." He said holding his broken arm. "How will I convince you that I'm not an enemy?" He asked.

"You can't." I said softly, shaking my head. "There is nothing you can do."

"Evy please." He said, almost sounding sincere.

"You need to leave." I told him.

"Just listen to me." He said stepping toward me.

"You keep saying that but you have yet to tell me anything that I could even consider to be true. You need to leave or I swear to God I'll kill you myself and feed you too my dog. I never want to see you again." I told him coldly.

He looked at me but nodded and left the room. I closed the door and relocked it. "How did he even know we were here?" I asked Cooper. "More proof that he's still on the demon's side. Only he would be able to find us so fast. Unless he was following me the entire time. That son-of-a-bitch!" I yelled and started to pace to room.

I paced for several hours and was just starting to calm down again when the door clicked with the key and was pushed open. For a moment I froze but Dean and Sam appeared in the doorway. I released the breath I had been holding in and smiled at them.

"What is it?" Dean asked.

"You just got here and you think something's wrong?" I smiled at him, kissing him lightly.

"I know you better than you think." He replied.

"Apparently." I said raising my brows and running my fingers through my hair. "I had a visitor last night that was very unwelcome." I told them.

"Riley?" Sam asked. I nodded. "What did he want?"

"He wanted to help." I replied sitting on the edge of the bed. "I don't believe him, of course, he showed up out of the blue telling me that he wants to help. He keeps saying it but…" I said and shrugged. "He's done nothing to prove his loyalty to our side so I guess that's the end of that. Cooper attacked him and broke his arm." I told them with a small smile.

"Really?" Dean smiled. I nodded. "Good dog!" He said putting his hands through the dog's fur. "Good to know you're looking out for her while we're not here."

"He did a good job." I smiled and took Dean's hand in mine. "How are you doing?" I asked him, my smile gone.

"I'll be good as new as long as I finish the antibiotics and take it easy for a while." He said stepping up to me.

"So the antibiotic thing will happen but you'll never be able to take it easy." I said looking up at him.

"Basically." He said and kissed me deeply.

I smiled and put my arms around him. "I'm happy you're safe."

"I'm happy you are too. No cops have come looking for you have they?" He asked.

"Not yet." I told him. "We should get out of town."

"Come on." He said and we left in a hurry.

Dean let Sam drive and I took the back seat with Cooper as we left town. Destination unknown but away from the dangers that lay behind us.


	20. Fun Isn't Always Fun

**Disclaimer: Same old one...**

**A/N: Here is the next chapter. Review would be spectacular! I hope you like the story! =]**

* * *

_**Chapter Twenty: Fun Isn't Always Fun**_

Dean was brushing his teeth in just a towel and I couldn't help but watch him. I couldn't deny that I had been glued to his side since he had gotten out of the hospital. He had yet to complain but I felt bad. I had never been the clingy type but here I was hovering over his every move. I held my breath every time we went out to the car, constantly double checking to make sure that the demon wasn't lurking around. Cooper was good at letting us know if something supernatural was around but lately he seemed to be overworked. I taught him commands and since then I had been using him no matter where we went. Even _I_ thought it was getting ridiculous, but I couldn't seem to stop.

"For the last time. Leave the dog in the room." Dean told me.

"But I…" I started but he shook his head at me.

"No, leave him here. He needs to rest." Dean said pushing me from the room.

"But what if…" I started but Dean put his hand over my mouth.

"Enough is enough." He said and turned me, pushing me down the hall.

"Where is Sam?" I asked.

"He's in the car waiting for us. He knew we'd be a while so he just went down." Dean explained.

"We didn't take that long." I stated.

"We just spent the last twenty minutes arguing about taking the dog. It's past 'being a while'." Dean replied.

"Whatever." I said and walked down the hall, shoving him. I accidentally shoved him into a table that decorated the hall. "Oh! Sorry!" I said pulling him against me. I laughed though.

"That really hurt." He frowned at me, rubbing his leg.

"Oh it can't be that bad." I grinned.

"You are the other half of my Velcro, babying me to the point where I almost went insane and now you shove me into a table that does hurt and you laugh."

"What can I say? I'm a strange woman." I said and laughed, kissing him.

"You got that right." He said slapping my ass as we left the hotel.

I laughed as we finally made it to the car. Sam had his seat reclined and his eyes were shut. "It's about time."

"Sorry." I told him.

"Dean's fine. You should really get over your little anxiety over him getting hurt. It's bound to happen eventually." He told me.

"Since you put it that way I guess I'll stop now and just let it happen." I replied.

"Knock it off you two." Dean told us. "He's right though. I should be looking out for you not the other way around."

"I suppose." I replied.

"Good." Dean replied as he started the car. "Now, who wants breakfast?"

* * *

We were happily eating a large yummy breakfast when Dean's phone beeped and he looked at it. "Hmph." He said frowning at the small screen.

"What is it?" I asked him.

"Coordinates." He stated.

"From John?" I asked. He nodded. "Figures." I said my mood decreasing as I stabbed my eggs.

"What does it say?" Sam asked.

Dean gave him the coordinates and he looked them up on his laptop. I had finished eating and I watched Sam's face as he looked up the spot. He didn't look happy. In truth, I wasn't happy. He was the one who left us but he always found a way to still stay involved.

"They are to Rockford, Illinois." Sam told us.

"What's there?" Dean asked.

"The Roosevelt Asylum." Sam replied.

"Alright, let's go." Dean said getting up. Neither Sam nor I followed his lead. "Aren't you coming?" He asked us.

"Why?" Sam asked. I didn't say anything.

"Dad obviously wants us to check it out." Dean replied.

"And you're just going to go?" Sam asked.

"Yeah." Dean replied, though he seemed to know where the conversation was going.

"As much as I love the guy, I'm not going to follow his every word. Or lack there of. He can't just send us coordinates and expect us to follow them. He left us _again, _and you're still going to do whatever he tells you." Sam told his brother.

"Yeah." Dean said coldly.

Sam looked angry and he was about to counter but I felt it was time to interrupt. "Sam…" I said. He looked at me. "Let's just leave before we talk about it any more." He nodded and got up. I watched him leave before I looked at Dean. He smiled but I lowered my head and followed Sam.

"What's with you?" He asked me once we were outside.

"Just get in the car." I told him.

"Evy…" He said taking my arm. I looked at him. "You're supposed to be on my side here." He told me.

I frowned at him. "Your side? I automatically have to be on your side?"

"Yes." He smiled sappily. I shook my head and continued to the car. He ran in front of me. "What's this about?" He asked. "Of all of us I would think you would be the one who would do what he wants. You're more loyal to him than even I am." He told me.

"I was." I told him. "But something happened along the way and the last time I saw him we made peace and I asked him to stay away."

"Why?" Dean asked me.

"Because as much as I love your father…I love you more." I told him. His expression softened. "I love Sam more and I wasn't going to watch the two of you suffer because of your dad. You've been through too much to keep following John's every word. We all know what needs to be done. But why does he always need to have one foot in the door? He's not here and he's never going to be the father you want him to be." I finished. Dean nodded and just looked at me. "So I'm sorry, but my loyalties have shifted and they're not in his favor."

Dean smiled and pulled me into him. I wrapped my arms around him and kissed his shoulder. He put his hands on the sides of my head and kissed me deeply. "Okay." He replied.

"Can we go now?" Sam asked.

I looked at him and nodded. I kissed Dean once more before going to the car. Sam was in the backseat while I smiled at Dean before we occupied the front. Sam sat quietly and looked up the asylum. Apparently there had been an odd happening recently. Kids were notorious for breaking into the asylum. Two officers were called to the asylum to take care of a few kids who had broken in. They had been found unharmed, but that night one of the officers shot his wife and then himself. It was suspicious enough to look into. Even though it was John's wishes we went to Rockford, Illinois. We went to the Asylum during daylight to have a look around. Though any action would be seen once the sun went down. There was a psychologist who was related to the one from the asylum. A father and his son. Naturally, to get all of the information that we could, Sam made an appointment with him. While he was inside Dean and I sat and waited for him.

"Are you ever going to tell me what my dad said to you before he left?" Dean asked me.

"No." I told him flatly.

"It must have been something big for you to keep it from me."

"Mm-hm." I said and watched a couple walking nearby.

"Evy, just tell me." He said.

"You're just curious. You don't really want to know." I replied.

"Sure I do." He smiled.

"Dean…" I said and looked at him.

"Okay." He said and looked away from me.

I sighed and moved closer to him. I took his hand in mine and smiled at him. "I'm not trying to keep anything from you but it's personal." I told him.

"Is there something between you and my dad?" He asked seriously.

"No." I told him sharply.

"You're sure?" He asked.

I nodded. "I'm very sure. There is nothing but friendship between me and your dad."

"Okay." He smiled and put his arm across my shoulders.

I smiled and kissed him passionately. "Believe it or not I think you're the man for me." I told him.

"Is that right?" He smiled. I laughed and nodded. "Well then, I think we should go find a nice quiet spot to test that theory."

I laughed and kissed him again. "It isn't a theory but I'm game if you are."

We were just about to get up when a familiar pain erupted in my head. I looked at Dean as my vision blurred.

_A young couple was walking toward an old building. They passed a sign that read Roosevelt Asylum. They entered and the scene moved to the boy being attacked by a spirit. It moved then to the girl. She was pulled into a room and out of the shadows a spirit appeared. She screamed in terror._

My vision righted and I looked at Dean. He was watching me. "Well, good thing we're here." I told him.

"You're kidding me?" He said.

"Nope." I replied. "A couple is wandering in there tonight."

"Figures." Dean replied.

I laughed. "Yeah."

A moment later Sam came out. "What took you so long?" Dean asked him. Sam just shrugged.

"Got some stuff off of your chest?" I smiled at him.

"You could say that." Sam told me.

I grinned and looked at Dean. He frowned as we went to the car. We made sure we had everything we needed for tonight. The shotguns were loaded with rock salt. All we had to do now was to wait until nightfall.

* * *

"I'm kind of excited." I smiled at Dean as we walked toward the asylum.

"You're one weird chick." He said shaking his head.

"And that's why you love me." I grinned and kissed him quickly.

I was the first to enter the building. There were stairs leading up as well as wings leading off in both directions. According to Dr. Ellicott's son, there were hardcore patients kept in the south wing that had rioted. Several bodies were never recovered, including Sanford Ellicott. We immediately took to the south wing, knowing that that was where it had all gone down. We walked down the corridor but there was nothing. The EMF was going off so we knew that there was something there. Sam had his video camera out to enable us to see where they were but so far there was nothing. We moved apart as we entered rooms. I could still see both men but I had moved away to check a connecting room. I had barely been in a minute when I heard Sam yelling for his brother. I ran into the room in time to see Dean take a shot at the spirit in front of his brother.

"Are you okay?" I asked him. He nodded.

"Yeah." He said and looked at me. "That was weird." He added.

"What do you mean?" I asked him.

"She didn't attack me. She didn't even try to hurt me." He stated.

"Then what did she want?" I asked him.

"I don't know."

We all exchanged glances before moving again. There was noise coming from a corner of the room. A bed was turned on it side and it seemed to be coming from behind it. We moved toward it only when we looked over, instead of a spirit it was the girl I had seen. I took a deep breath and helped her up.

"Are you okay?" I asked her. She nodded. "What's your name?"

"Katherine…Kat." She replied.

"I'm Evy, this is Sam and Dean." I told her.

"What are you doing here?" Sam asked her.

"My boyfriend Gavin wanted to see some ghosts." She told us.

I nodded and could see why they would want to come here. She didn't want to leave without Gavin so we ended up splitting in order to find him. I went with Sam while Dean took Kat in the other direction.

"This is kinda fun." I smiled at Sam.

"Why are you so into this hunt?" He asked me.

"I don't know." I smiled and shrugged. "I guess I'm intrigued by the whole asylum thing."

He just shook his head. I put my arm through his as we walked. We found Gavin just ahead in one of the rooms. He was unconscious but came too quickly as Sam and I knelt next to him.

"Who are you?" Gavin asked.

"Evy, this is Sam." I told him.

"We found your girlfriend." Sam said as he helped him up.

"Is she okay?" Gavin asked.

"Yeah." Sam replied.

"Come on." I said and we headed back to find the others.

It wasn't long before we heard screaming accompanied with Dean yelling. We raced down the corridors until Dean came into view.

"What happened?" Sam asked.

"She's in there with one of them!" Dean replied as he tried to get the door open.

Sam went to the door to talk to her but I felt pressure around my waist and the next thing I knew I was being pulled backward and into a room. The door slammed shut. I heard yelling and soon there was pounding on the door.

"Evy!" Dean yelled.

"I'm fine!" I yelled through the door.

I heard a soft moan behind me and turned to see the girl that had confronted Sam. Sam seemed to believe that they weren't going to hurt us. That they just wanted to communicate. I walked up to her and looked at her. She closed the distance between us and leaned toward me. I closed my eyes and made sure to hold still as she whispered '137' in my ear. I nodded at her and she disappeared. The door burst open and Dean rushed into the room. He had the shotgun raised but we were alone.

"Are you okay?" He asked taking my arm.

"I'm fine." I told him and kissed him quickly.

"Are you okay?" Sam asked as we rejoined them.

"Fine. Are you okay?" I asked Kat.

"Yeah." She nodded.

"137, the ghost whispered 137 to me." I told them.

"Me too." Kat told me.

"Then it's not a coincidence." I told them.

"You two get them out of here. I'm going to go find room 137." Dean told us.

Sam and I nodded before taking the couple and moving to the nearest exit. When we reached the door it wouldn't open. It was obvious that we weren't going to be allowed to leave. Soon after, Sam's phone rang and Dean told him he was in the basement. I stood guard with the couple while Sam went to help his brother.

"So, do you do this sort of thing often?" Kat asked me.

"Yup." I replied.

"Why?" She asked.

"It's a long story. Sometimes I don't even know." I smiled at her.

As we continued to wait a bad feeling started to creep into me. A moment later there were footsteps and Dean came around the corner.

"What are you still doing here?" He asked. "Where's Sam?"

"He went to help you." I told him.

"What?" He asked.

"You called him. He went to the basement." I explained.

"Stay here." He told us.

"No, I'm going with you." I told him.

"No." He replied.

"If Sam's in trouble I'm not staying here."

"Yes you are." He said and put his hand on my cheek. "He'll be okay."

"What about you?" I asked him. "You need someone to cover you."

"I'll be fine." He said and took off down the hall.

"Stupid bastard." I muttered under my breath.

"Is he your boyfriend?" Kat asked me.

"Only the days I want to claim him." I replied.

* * *

I hated to wait and now that I was waiting for a second time I was started to get annoyed. I knew that something was happening and I hated the feeling that I should be doing something. In the end I handed my shotgun to Kat, who surprised me with having experience with guns, and went after my men. I rushed through the asylum, making my way to the basement. I had just gone down the stairs when I heard a shot. I ran faster until I saw Sam holding the shotgun. I rushed in to see Dean on the ground.

"Sam!" I yelled as I went to his brother.

A shot rang out again and pain filled my side as I flew back several feet. I quickly got to my hands and knees. Dean had come to.

"We need to burn Ellicott's bones and this will all be over." He told his brother. "And you'll go back to normal."

"Baby…" I whispered as I went to Dean.

"I am normal. I'm finally telling the truth." Sam said coldly.

"Sam…" I said as I stood. He quickly turned the shotgun and another blast of rock salt hit me.

When I woke up there was a rotten smell in the air and flames in a nearby cabinet. I frowned and rolled onto my hands and knees. I looked over to see Sam massaging his jaw and Dean was in the same position I was. I frowned harder and slowly got to my feet. I walked over to them and helped Sam to his feet.

"What happened?" I asked them.

"Oh, I just saved us all again." Dean said cockily.

I grinned and shoved him gently. "I'm sure it was all about you."

"Well, I was the one trying to kill the two of you." Sam replied.

"Yes, while I was unconscious." I grinned at him.

"Sorry about that." Sam said sheepishly.

I put my arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. "I'm okay if you're okay." I said letting him go. I kept my hands on the sides of his head and smiled at him. He nodded at me. "Good." I told him and kissed his forehead.

"It's not fun unless someone almost dies." Dean grinned. I frowned at him. "What?" He asked. "He nearly kills us; I joke about it and then get in trouble for it."

I raised my brow at him before walking over to him. I put my hand on his chest and he winced slightly. I kissed him lightly before heading upstairs. Kat and Gavin were still waiting for us. I opened the door and took a deep breath of the fresh air. We said goodbye to the couple and were nearly to the car when 'Renegade' sounded in my pocket. I took the phone out and looked at the caller ID. It was John. We had told each other that we wouldn't call unless something had happened. The brothers were talking, allowing me to move away from them to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Evy…" He said.

"John." I said.

"You're angry." He stated.

"Do you know where he is?" I retorted.

There was a long pause before he said, "No."

"John, we talked about this." I told him rubbing my brows.

"I know." He replied.

"I don't mean to be cold but…why are you calling?" I asked him. "It hasn't even been that long."

"It's been three months." He replied. "That's practically a lifetime in our work."

"John…you need to understand. I can't keep talking to you when you keep avoiding your boys. They are my world right now and I'm not going to ruin that with this whole back and forth thing. You know how Dean feels about it. It's gotten me into trouble before and it will again unless you just stick to what we agreed on." I told him.

"So cold." John said sadly.

"I'm sorry John." I told him with the same tone. "It's just too hard."

"I know. I'm sorry."

I looked at the car and they were waiting for me. "I have to go." I told him.

"Okay."

"Be safe." I said quickly and hung up the phone. I smiled at the boys as I walked up to the car.

"Everything okay?" Sam asked.

"It's fine." I smiled at him, getting into the car. They did the same and Dean looked over at me. He smiled and I grinned, looking over my shoulder at Sam. We drove back to the hotel and I quickly ran in and got Cooper. I smiled and stroked the dog as we got into the car. "Let's go." I smiled at Dean. He smiled back and blared the radio before driving away.


	21. Rain Falls

**Disclaimer: Please see chapter one...**

**A/N: So here is a new update. FINALLY!!! I haven't had internet access in I dont know how long! But here it is. The next chapter. I hope you like it and reviews would be awesome and more appreciated. So just give me one, okay? =] Enjoy!**

_**Chapter Twenty-one: Rain Falls**_

_Oh mama I'm afraid for my life_

_From the long arm of the law._

_Lawman has put an end to my running_

_And I'm so far from my home._

_Oh mama I can hear you a cryin' _

_You're so scared and all alone._

_Hangman is coming down from the gallows_

_And I don't have very long_

My eyes cracked open and the stars slowly cleared from my eyes. It had been a hard hit. I looked around me but I was alone. I slowly got to my feet and pain seared through my head. A moment later there was a whine and Cooper appeared from the darkness. I smiled and opened my arms to the dog. He leaned into me and I stroked his fur. I got to my feet, still quiet as I listened to the concrete room. There was nothing there. The thing was gone. I wasn't even sure what the stupid thing was but it hit hard. I took a moment to stretch out my neck before my phone started ringing again. I looked at it, about to answer it when Cooper started to growl again. We weren't alone anymore. My phone stopped before telling me I had a message. I quickly put my phone in my pocket before facing the thing again.

"God you're ugly." I told it. Cooper barked before continuing to growl. "I know right?" I said and glanced at my dog.

It rushed me and I shuffled backward as Cooper leapt intercepting the beast before it reached me. He had latched himself to the thing's arm and it was shaking him fiercely. Cooper lost his grip and he tumbled across the floor, a sharp whine erupting from him.

"You hurt my dog!" I frowned at the beast. I whipped my knife from my pocket and threw it into the beast. It yelled, pulling the knife from its body before running from the room. "Okay…" I said stopping to think. "Come on, Coop." I told the dog as I picked up my knife. I ran from the room and toward the door of the abandoned house. We were nearly there when I heard it yell and turned to see it rushing me again. "Coop, get out!" I yelled and watched the dog launch himself out of the broken window.

I still made a run for the door but I was grabbed from behind and tossed like a rag doll. I smashed through a wooden chair, feeling a splinter of wood pierce through my side. I quickly got to my feet but knew that I wasn't going to be able to do this alone. It had nearly reached me again when the door burst open and the beast stopped as electric waves moved through its body. When the shock was over it fell forward onto the ground. I looked at it before looking at Sam who was standing in front of me. I grinned at him.

"You all right?" He asked.

"I'm happy to see you." I smiled walking up to him. I put my arms around him and kissed his cheek. "Where's Dean?" I asked.

"Arguing with the dog." He said with a slightly annoyed look on his face.

"Since when don't they get along? That's what I'm not okay with." I told him as we walked from the house.

"You're supposed to be watching out for her." Dean was telling the dog. Cooper bared his teeth and gave deep growls accompanied by short barks. "Don't you take that tone with me." Dean said pointing his finger at the dog.

I could see Cooper's body shaking from the energy he was using to not lunge at Dean. "Dean!" I yelled at him.

"What?" He said innocently to me.

"Don't look at me like that. I've been watching you. Cooper did exactly what he was supposed to. I was the one who sent him from the house." I told him.

"Why? He's your protection when we're not around." Dean told me for the hundredth time.

"If I remember correctly, you were the one who was in the hospital last. Maybe I should make him follow you around." I said crossing my arms.

"We'd kill each other." Dean stated.

I laughed. "No, you don't stand a chance against that dog." I smiled at him. "Come on Coop."

"Are you hurt?" Sam asked walking up behind me.

"Yup." I told him and slipped into the car.

"What's going on?" Dean asked joining us.

"She's hurt." Sam stated.

"It's not a big deal. Let's get back to the hotel and I'll take care of myself and Coop." I told them and closed the door before either could say anything different to me.

Neither of them said anything as we drove but once we were in the room I was bombarded with far too much concern and worry. As much as I loved the both of them I still wanted to hold on to what little independence I had left.

"I've got this." I told them and locked myself and Cooper in the bathroom.

I looked at the wound in the mirror before pulling the piece of wood from my side. I winced but it had gone in barely an inch. I cleaned it out and placed a bandage over it before sitting on the lidded toilet and calling the dog to me. He was minimally damaged but I took the liberty of using Dean's electric razor to clip some of the hair away to view one of the lacerations closer. It was almost deep enough that it needed sutures but instead I took the skin glue from the first aid kit and glued it shut. Cooper was so good that even though it was uncomfortable and painful he didn't make a sound and he held perfectly still. He was the perfect dog. I smiled and kissed his head before we went out to join the others.

"There, all better." I told them as I sat on the bed.

"You okay?" Dean asked.

"Shut up." I frowned at him.

"What's your problem?" He asked me.

"I don't know." I told him.

"You just need to relax." He said moving behind me. He started to rub my shoulders. I grinned and closed my eyes. "Now tell me what's bothering you." He said sweetly.

I sighed and stopped him. "I got a call the other day and it's put a lot on my mind." I told him.

"From who?" He asked.

"Monica Masterson." I told him.

"Who's she?" Sam asked.

"I helped her while you killed the Windego in Wisconsin. When I was off on my own." I told him.

"The sledgehammer ghost." Sam said remembering. I nodded. "Is she in trouble again?"

"Not exactly." I told them. "She's a good friend of Riley's. Apparently he stopped by acting all weird and now she doesn't know where he is. Wanted to know if I could help."

"You're not going to are you?" Dean asked.

"Not if I can help it." I replied. "I haven't called her back but once I do I'll tell her what went down and tell her to be careful."

"Okay." Sam said nodding.

"You don't know where he is, do you?" Dean asked.

"Of course not." I told him. "If I knew where he was then he'd be in a grave." I said looking at him. "He doesn't hurt one of my boys and gets away with it."

"Awe, how sweet." Dean grinned. I frowned at him. He just smiled sweetly and kissed me gently. "Haven't done that enough lately." He said softly.

I shook my head and kissed him deeply. I loved this man and the remembrance of what happened haunted me like a nightmare that wouldn't end. As much as I loved the man he also had a way of bringing out the worst in me. We spent half our time fighting even though the rest of the time it was sickening how much we felt for each other. I wasn't going to let him off the hook for arguing with the dog but I wasn't going to make things worse by bringing up Riley. I wasn't going to upset the brothers by bringing up old wounds and the phone call I had received wasn't as harmless as I had told them. She didn't just want to know where Riley was. She didn't need to. He had been coming and going. He's been saying odd things and she had overheard him talking to someone, arguing with them, wanting to stop. When she confronted him about it he denied it and acted as if nothing had happened. She was worried about him and there was only one person she would call for help…me. I hated to admit it but part of me wanted to go. Wanted to go and confront him myself. He needed to pay for the things he had done. He needed to be shown what it would be like if he worked against us. When he worked with _him._ There was no going back and there was no forgiving.

* * *

I looked in the rearview mirror but knew that I wasn't being followed. I was stealthy and knew that they wouldn't notice I was gone till morning. Dean slept soundly and I had gotten out of bed as quietly as possible. Cooper panted in the seat next to me, a clear smile on his face. I grinned and buried my fingers in the dog's fur. His tail thumped and he licked my forearm. The love I had for the dog was ridiculous but he reciprocated it without being asked and without any boundaries. He watched me before looking out the windshield. The sun was beginning to rise. The horizon a mixture of colors. I smiled and soon we were in the city limits and then parking in front of Monica's house. I got out of the car, letting Cooper out before closing it. He moved to my side. He was alert and aware of everything around us. If something was amiss then he would tell me. Monica was out of the house before I could make it to the door.

"Thank you for coming." She said hugging me.

"Of course." I smiled at her. "Where is he?" I asked getting to the point.

"I'm not sure. He said he'd be back but I haven't seen him in a few days." She told me.

"How long is he usually gone for?" I asked.

"He should be back soon." She replied.

"Let's go talk." I smiled and led the way to the house.

We sat across from each other and a silence hung in the air. I smiled at her but she looked like he was falling apart. Something more was going on and I just had to be patient until she told me what it was. Cooper sat in front of me and watched Monica just as closely as me. His ear turned and I furrowed my brows. When his head turned and his body tensed against my leg I stood and turned in his direction. A moment later I was pinned against the wall. Cooper dropped to the ground as Riley came into view. I didn't know the dog was as smart as he was in this moment. Monica had yelled out but everything was moving quickly. Riley's eyes looked for the dog but there was no fooling the animal that was lurking in the shadows. Riley moved just close enough and Cooper was on top of him. I was released and I ran to Riley, placing my foot on his chest. I pressed down as hard as I could and told Cooper to stand back.

"Don't you try anything." I told Riley as I looked down at him.

"What are you doing here?" He said through clenched teeth.

"Trying to help a mutual friend." I told him. "Because for some reason Monica wants to help you. For some reason she wants to see you get through this and be okay." I took a deep breath. "If only she knew the truth." I said and looked at her. "If only she knew what you were capable of. If only she knew…" I said and looked back down at him. "As for me…" I said and with one quick movement put a knife to his throat. "As for me, nothing would make me happier then to end you right now." I told him pushing the blade in ever so slightly.

"Evy!" Monica exclaimed. I looked at her and the look of horror and shock on her face made me decide not to kill him. Not just yet. "Please…"

"Get up." I told Riley, the blade still at his throat.

"You know I could move you away from me in an instant." He grinned at me.

"But you know that the dog would be on you before you could blink and that it would also be your death sentence." I told him. He didn't say anything. "You're smart Riley. Though I don't know why you'd want to live as it is. All the damage you've done. All the people you've hurt." I told him as I led him to the kitchen.

"Just let's talk about this." Monica said as she followed us.

"The only thing to talk about is if Riley here would like to die fast or slow." I replied.

"Evy…" Monica said.

"It's all right Monica." Riley told her. "I deserve it."

"What?" She asked.

"Should we tell her what a monster you are?" I asked him.

"I'm losing my patience." Riley told me.

"Oh, and I'm shaking in my boots." I replied.

"Monica, please put that dog in the bathroom." Riley told his friend.

"Don't touch my dog." I shot at her.

"Cooper?" Monica said looking at the dog.

"Monica!" I said looking at her now.

That was my first mistake. The second, I realized, was coming at all. As soon as my eyes left Riley I was thrown back, the blow knocking me out.

* * *

When I came to my head was throbbing as it lolled against my chest. I heard horrible barking coming from somewhere in the house. I lifted my head and the lights made my eyes hurt. I was tied to a chair in the kitchen. My wrists were sore and pain shot through my arms when I moved them. I winced and tried to move my legs only to find that they too were tied. I heard a sound and finally looked around. Monica was sitting at the kitchen table. Her face was tearstained and she was shaking. I frowned as I looked at her.

"Are you okay?" I asked her.

"Evy…" She said looking at me.

"You're not tied too are you?" I asked her.

She shook her head, bringing her hands together on the table. "No."

"Where is he?" I asked.

"He's behind you." She replied.

I glanced over my shoulder, seeing him behind me. "Hello Riley." I said coldly.

"I didn't want it to be this way." He told me.

"And I thought you were done helping him." I replied.

"It's like an addiction." He replied, an almost psychotic tone in his voice.

"What have you been doing for him?" I asked.

"Anything he wants. I tried to stop and he probably would have let me. Let me and waited for whatever was supposed to happen, happen, but I couldn't. I can do more then just levitate things now. I can do so much more and it's because he's shown me how." Riley explained.

"And this is supposed to make it okay?" I asked him.

"No, but I am not going let you kill me." He replied.

"So you're going to kill me first?" I asked.

"No." He said quickly. "I could never kill you." He said stepping in front of me.

He was sincere. "Then what are you going to do with me?" I asked him.

"I want you to see what I see. I want you to learn what I've learned. It takes practically nothing to go from what we started with to what I know now." He told me. His excitement growing. "I can control things I never thought I'd control. I…I…" He stopped and laughed. "It's just unbelievable."

"You've gone off the deep end." I said with a short laugh.

Riley went from excited to angry in a blink of an eye and he stepped up and backhanded me. I laughed and he hit me again. I couldn't seem to stop laughing. This whole thing just all of a sudden seemed so humorous. I couldn't tell them why but it just was. He thought he was on top of the world. He had learned new tricks and now he thought he was the shit. He was the shit for helping the worst demon that walks on this earth. By the time I got control of myself I was bruised and bleeding but still found it all so humorous.

"Stop laughing!" Riley yelled.

"How is this even remotely funny?" Monica asked me.

I looked at them and gave another short laugh. "Because he's is so fucking screwed." I said and laughed. "He is so fucking screwed and he doesn't even realize it. Yellow-eyes is not going to make you his right hand man. He is not going to give you shit. You are not going to be his favorite. You are not going to survive this thing, whenever it finally goes down. None of this is about you and you don't matter. He is pulling you along but he doesn't care what happens to you. If he were here right now I bet you a million dollars that he'd be on my side, not yours." I told him with a grin on my face. "You are delusional if you think that you stand a chance. This thing that you are doing here with me. This is just worsening your chances because once I'm free again I really am going to kill you."

Riley's cockiness disappeared and he just stared at me. I wasn't bluffing. I wasn't going to put up with this any longer. Mostly because I had more tricks up my sleeve then he realized. I had learned long ago that more then one blade was needed on my person at a time. My ropes were nearly cut and his moment of hesitation was all I needed. I grinned at him and he stepped toward me. Everything that needed to be said was said. He bent toward me and I punched him as hard as I could. He fell, stunned, giving me time to release my legs. I walked up to him and kicked him hard in the abdomen. I started to beat him. Monica stood by and watched but did nothing to stop me. I was so angry and there was no going back and he was not going to hurt me or anyone else again. He was unconscious but I continued to beat on him. I was just about to make it permanent when pain erupted in my head and I had to step back as the vision came to me.

_A dark room came into view. A basement. There was small whimpers coming from somewhere in the room. The creature came into view as it honed in on the sound. A moment later two figures came down the stairs. I watched Sam and Dean come in with voltage guns in hand. I watched as they fought the beast. The whimpering had been two children in a cabinet. Dean told Sam to get the kids out and he faced the beast again. Dean was hit and he fell back into water. The beast stepped toward him in the water. Dean aimed and shot the beast. The volts went through the beast only the water picked it up and traveled to Dean. His body shook with the voltage, pain written on his face. When the volts stopped the beast was dead and the scene closed in on Dean._

The kitchen came back into view and I looked down at Riley's motionless form. I looked at Monica as the horror of what I saw sunk in.

"I have to go." I told her.

"What is it? What happened?" She asked me.

"I have to go." I repeated and went to the sound of the barking. I let Cooper out of the bathroom and made a run for the door.

"Wait!" Monica said grabbing my arm. "Are you okay to go? What about Riley?" She asked me.

"If you ask me, kill him now before he wakes up." I told her before getting into the car. I drove frantically for hours before I built up enough courage to pick up the phone and call. "Pick up the phone, pick up the phone, please, please pick up the phone." Dean wasn't answering. "Damn it!" I yelled and threw the phone at the dashboard. "Why wouldn't he answer?" I yelled at the dog. He looked at me and whined. "I'm sorry." I told him, stroking his fur. "I'm glad you're okay." I told my dog. He was unscathed. I drove several more hours before I finally got a hold of Sam. "Sammy! Where the hell have you been?" I yelled into the phone.

"Where have I been? Where have you been?" He asked.

"Where's Dean?" I asked him.

"He's right here." He replied. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"What are you doing? Are you on a job?" I asked quickly.

"Evy, just calm down and tell me what's going on." He said slowly.

"I had a vision." I told him, taking a deep breath. "There is another one of those things. The thing from just a few days ago. The things you electrocute to kill."

"Okay." Sam said.

"There's another one and…and what I saw was…" I was trying to explain when the line went dead. "Hello?" I said into the phone. "Sam?" I looked at my phone and realized the battery was dead. "DAMN IT!" I screamed and threw the phone. I stepped on the gas peddle and raced to try and save Dean.

I raced to the payphone when I found a gas station and got a hold of Sam again. I asked him where they were and to tell him not to go after anything until I got there. To just stay put and wait for me. Both were already angry with me but the urgency in my voice would keep that at bay until I could reach them and make sure that Dean was okay. No one can take 100 volts. No one can take that and live through it. He was going to die unless I could get there and save him.

When I finally reached the hotel that they were at I realized that the Impala was not in the parking lot. I cursed both their names before dialing Sam again. I didn't want to talk to Dean just yet. I didn't want to break down and I couldn't hold back if I talked to him. Sam told me where they were and after I yelled at him I hung up and raced to where they were. I had my phone charging in the car but the battery was too low to hold a call. I saw the Impala and then Sam and two kids come from an old house. My heart skipped a beat as my breath caught in my throat. I stopped the car and flew past Sam as I raced into the house. I went to the basement in time to see the last few volts go through Dean's body. Panic started to course through me and I fell next to him.

"DEAN! Dean, oh god!" I said pulling him into my arms. "Baby, open your eyes. Open your eyes!" I said rocking him back and forth.

"Dean!" Sam said rushing to me.

"He's not breathing." I told Sam looking at him. "Sammy, he's not breathing." My voice was cracking and I was starting to freak out. "Call 911." I told him. Sam took his phone out as I laid Dean on the ground. "I don't want to have to do this. I don't know if I can do this." I said as I prepared myself. "But you did this once for me and I'm going to do this for you." I told him.

Everything that happened afterward was a blur. I remembered breathing for him and I remembered giving him chest compressions. I remembered all that. The one thing I couldn't seem to remember…to take in…was when the doctor told me and Sam that there was nothing they could do. Dean's heart was damaged beyond repair. That there was nothing they could do for him. The words were like ice being put in my veins. The thought that Dean was going to die. Only it wasn't a thought. They flat out told us. Nothing could be done. Dean was going to die.

_

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	22. Faith Equals Fear

**Disclaimer: Please see chapter one...**

**A/N: Since I have chapters to spare tonight is a two for one deal. I hope you like it and hopefully more of the story will be up soon. I have chapter just waiting in the wings. I am very happy to have some internet back and hope you'll like the story. This is one of the chapters based off of an episode. I hope its works, even if it's just a little bit. Please review, it would be most appreciated!!! =]**

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_**Chapter Twenty-two: Faith equals Fear**_

I couldn't face him. I sat outside his room and tried to bring myself to get up and see him. Sam was with him and for now that would have to be enough. I had failed him. I had seen it and I couldn't stop it. I had found a way to stop all of the other things I have seen but this one…this one that _truly _mattered I was unable to stop. I wiped tears from my eyes as the doctors words went through my head. _A couple of weeks…a couple of weeks…a couple of weeks…_the words echoed in my head and a wave of sorrow flowed over me. I felt a hand on my back and I looked up to see Sam. The tears came faster and he pulled me against him. I cried into him, letting it all out. He rocked me gently, doing his best to calm me. Though I could hear it in his voice. I could hear it in his voice that he was just as scared as I was. Once I had composed myself I leaned away from him. I tried to smile but it didn't work out very well. Sam smiled and kissed my hair.

"You need to see him. He's asking about you." Sam told me sadly.

Tears came to my eyes again and I nodded. I stood up and took several deep breaths before walking into the room. Dean's eyes seemed to be on me before I even walked in. He smiled his crooked smile and the tears came hotter and faster then before. He frowned and opened his arms to me. I closed the few steps to the bed and laid next to him as he moved over. He put his arms around me and made soft shushing sounds to try and calm me. It only made me cry harder. It was ridiculous to have him comforting me while he was the one who was dying.

"I'm sorry, I am so sorry." I told him once I'd gotten myself slightly composed.

"It's not your fault." He told me.

"It is my fault. I saw it happen. I saw it and I couldn't stop it." I told him.

"It's not your fault." He told me more forcefully.

"I didn't have my phone fully charged and it died when I was talking to Sam. I tried calling you. I was so worried and then realized that I couldn't tell you that you were going to die." I told him. "I shouldn't have left and what happened shouldn't have happened and I was too far away I couldn't get here in time. I am so sorry this is all my fault. If I had just stayed this wouldn't have happened and your heart would be okay." I finished though my guilt seemed to intensify.

"Evy…it was not your fault. It just…happened." He told me.

"No, these things don't just happen. It's my fault. Don't try and make me feel better." I told him angrily. "I am so sorry."

"Look at me." He said angrily. I looked up at him and he was frowning at me. I felt ashamed but he kept his eyes on me. "This is not your fault. Sam told me what you said. I convinced him that we needed to go when we figured out where the other one was. So, I am sorry that I didn't listen to you. Maybe I did it because you left without telling me. You left, you got into trouble, and then Sam tells me that you wanted us to stay put until you got back. I may have just been spiteful." He told me.

"I'm sorry." I told him again.

"What happened to you anyway? You look like crap." He said with a small smile.

"Riley." I said flatly.

"That sonofabitch." Dean said angrily, his body tensing.

"It's okay. I'm okay." I told him. "We had a confrontation. I was going to kill him but just when my moment came I had my vision and I left."

"You were going to kill him?" Dean asked with a edge of surprise.

"Believe it or not I'm not lying to you when I say that I love you." I told him. "He hurt you. There is no forgiving and there is no going back. He made his decision and he's still making it." I explained. "I shouldn't have left." I told him again.

"Why did you?" Dean asked.

"Because Monica was really scared and I was afraid he was going to do something to her. That and I wanted a chance to face him. Tell him how much he screwed up. Turns out he's still screwing up. He's still with yellow-eyes." I told him resting my head on his chest. I could hear his heart beating. Tears welled in my eyes and I felt angry with myself. I was being so weak and I should be stronger. I sat up and turned to face him. "I'm sorry I'm being so weak." I told him.

"Hey, don't say that. You're not being weak." He told me.

"Yes I am." I frowned. "I should be strong for you because you're the one who's weak."

"Thanks." He told me sarcastically.

I gave a short laugh. "I didn't mean it like that." I smiled. "_You_ are not weak. But your heart is and I don't want you worrying about me when I should be worrying about you." I told him.

"Don't worry about me." He said with a sly smile.

"I always worry." I whispered avoiding his eyes.

"That's what happens when you have a girl on the team." He smiled.

I laughed and took his hand in mine. The light moment quickly faded and I had to fight back tears. He frowned at me and I tried to smile at him. "I'm sorry." I told him again.

"Stop apologizing." He frowned at me.

"I can't." I replied. "I am so sorry that I can't control my crying. I'm just scared. I am so scared." I told him softly.

"I am too." He told me though I wasn't sure it was true.

"I don't want you to leave me." I whispered.

His expression grew sad. "And you think I want to leave you? Or Sam?" He asked.

"I know you don't." I frowned. "Besides, we're going to save you." I smiled.

"Evy…" He frowned.

"Don't." Sam said forcefully. "We'll find a way to save you."

I nodded and averted his eyes. This isn't what I wanted and this was the last thing I had expected. I sat with him through the night. When he was sleeping soundly I left the room and joined Sam at the hotel. He had papers littering the room and his computer was open with research on anything that might help Dean. He looked at me and gave me a sad smile. I returned it but I could feel the sadness that was clearly in my eyes. Sam saw it and pulled me into him.

"This can't be happening." I whispered.

"It's not going to happen. We're going to save him." Sam said caressing the back of my head.

"Promise me he'll be okay." I told me.

"I promise you." Sam said and kissed my forehead. I nodded and looked up at him. "Go get cleaned up. You look like hell." He smiled.

I smiled and nodded. I went to the bathroom and slowly undressed. I felt numb. It wasn't supposed to be like this. He wasn't supposed to be in that bed. He was supposed to be in mine and we were supposed to be happy. Maybe not all of the time but we were supposed to be happy. I took a long hot shower before going back out to see the stern expression on Sam's face. He was staring at the screen but managed to give me a small smile. I smiled back before looking at the clock. Visiting hours were over but I wanted nothing more then to be with Dean. I crawled into bed and faced the wall. Sam didn't need to see me cry and I knew that I wouldn't make it through the night without tears putting me to sleep. Though as the tears started I felt the bed move and Sam's arm moved around me. I put my hand in his and held it against me. He kissed my hair before running his fingers through it. He told me repeatedly that it was going to be 'okay' but I knew that as long as Dean was on his way out nothing would be okay. I loved Dean and he was dying. I kept telling myself that this had to be some kind of dream. It wasn't, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

* * *

"What are you doing?" I asked Dean when I walked into his room. "I've been gone only a few hours and they tell me you've checked yourself out?"

"That's right." He said as he started to get out of bed.

"Baby, listen to me." I said rushing to him. "If anything happens you need to be here so they can help you." I told him.

"I'm not dying in a hospital." He told me.

I wanted to argue with him but I wouldn't want to die in a hospital either. I nodded and helped him get dressed. He was weak, weaker then he was willing to admit, and watching him try and move around was hard. I supported him and for a moment he looked like he might try and push me away. Instead he put his hand on my cheek and whispered 'thank you' to me before kissing me gently. I fought the tears but smiled at him and helped him to the car.

"What are you doing here?" Sam asked when we came through the door.

"I'm not dying in a hospital." Dean told his brother.

"You're not dying at all." Sam told him.

I helped Dean to the bed and had him sit down. I looked at Sam hoping to see a hopeful look in his eyes. There was nothing there. My throat felt constricted and I looked away from them. Cooper came to me and sat on my left, looking up at me. I smiled at him in thanks. I needed an escape from this for as brief a moment as possible. I didn't want to cry in front of them anymore. I needed to let it out and in order to do that I needed to be away from them.

"I'm going to take Cooper for a walk." I told them.

"What, now?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, I could use the fresh air." I told them.

"Are you okay?" Sam asked.

"No, not really." I told him honestly.

"Evy, we should talk about this." Dean told me.

"No." I said shaking my head. "I don't want to talk about it." I told him. "I just need to get some air."

"Sam should go with you." Dean said standing up.

"No!" I said a little too loudly. I rushed to him and made him sit back down. "Just stay here. I'll be all right." I said and kissed him deeply. "I'll be back. Just don't worry about me." I said and quickly left the room before my emotions could get the best of me.

I walked from the parking lot before I ran through the streets. I ran down an alley before I found a spot against the wall and slid down it. I rocked back and forth as the heat of the tears came to my face. Cooper sat in front of me, a soft whine coming from him. He pushed through my hands with his muzzle and started to lick the tears from my face. I looked at him before pulling him into me. I buried my face in his coat and sobbed until I couldn't anymore. The past few days had been hard and this just pushed it all too far. Dean couldn't die. I wouldn't let him but I wasn't thinking clearly enough to even figure out where to start. I had lost Jim, I dealt with that. John had left me, I had dealt with that. The whole Riley thing was still in progress and now Dean was dying. These two things I couldn't handle at once. If what to do was obvious then I was blind. All I knew was that I wasn't going to say goodbye. I cried into Cooper until I couldn't anymore and felt so tired that I laid down. Cooper laid next to me and I put my arm around him, holding him close. I fell asleep before I could think about anything else.

* * *

"Where have you been?" Dean asked when I walked through the door the following morning.

"I'm sorry." I told him airily. He looked like crap. He had dark circles under his eyes and just the way he moved looked painful. "I fell asleep in an alley. I'm so sorry." I said going up to him kissing him gently. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry." He said with a small smile. "I just don't like not knowing where you are." He said putting his arms around me.

I held him tight as tears came to my eyes. He put his forehead against mine and ran his fingertips down my cheek. I took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

"It's okay." He whispered.

"It's not okay." I whispered back.

"I'm going to be okay." He said with certainty. I didn't know what to say to him. He was just trying to make it okay. He wanted me to be okay but he was dying. What was I supposed to do?

"I can't do this." I said and pulled away from him. I walked into the bathroom and shut the door, sitting on the toilet lid. I couldn't do this. Pretend that it was going to be okay. There was nothing okay about it. A moment later Dean opened the door. "Please, Dean." I frowned looking at my hands.

"I know this sucks. I know that, but you can't avoid me. I need you right now. I can't do this without you." He said sweetly.

"So you want me to just pretend that you're not dying?" I asked him.

"I don't want this to be awkward. I can't do that. I don't want you looking at me like I'm already dead."

"Well, I'm sorry Dean." I told him annoyed. "I'm sorry that I'm a girl with girl feelings that can't be suppressed like others. I've lost one love in my life and I don't want to lose another. I can't take the pain again. Losing Jim was horrible, I can't even imagine what losing you would be like. It'll be unbearable." I said looking back at my hands.

"Evy, listen to me." He said kneeling in front of me. "I don't like this any better then you do. It was a job and it can be dangerous. It was bound to happen eventually." He said with a smile. I frowned at him. "You'll have Sam. You two will take care of each other. You have Cooper who will watch out for both of you. It will be okay. It _will _be, and believe it or not I love you and the last thing I want to do is leave." He said softly. "But shit happens." The softness was gone and he said the last line in a very cavalier way.

I frowned and looked at my hands. "Fine." I told him, trying to reign in my fear. I stood and faced him. "Have it your way. I'll be as normal as I can be. To start this new way of looking at our predicament I want to yell at you for arguing with Cooper. What the hell is the matter with you?" I yelled at him. "I don't understand why, all of a sudden, you are at odds with my dog. You two got along just fine before." I was serious but he started to laugh at me. "What?" I asked him.

"Of all the things to say to me you want to argue about the dog?" He grinned at me.

"Yes!" I yelled at him.

"Fine, let's argue about the dog." He grinned. "That dog is way too attached to you. I think it's great that he does whatever you tell him to but he's got to listen to Sam and me too. He does whatever he wants when you're not around and I'm sick of it." He said starting to get into the argument. "He's unruly is what he is."

"Unruly?" I said putting my hands on my hips. "He's the best damn dog there is." I told him. "He does exactly what he's supposed to. It's not my fault that he has brains enough not to listen to you. Half the time I don't listen to you."

"Ah, so the truth comes out." He said starting to pace. "You think you'd appreciate me more. I save your ass nearly every day. You wouldn't be here if it weren't for me."

"Ha!" I yelled now crossing my arms. "That is such a load of crap. I've saved you more then you've saved me. You would have died months ago if I hadn't seen Michael killing you. You should appreciate me more."

He didn't say anything and for a moment we just looked at each other. Then a smile crossed his face and I couldn't help but smile back at him. This was ridiculous and we both knew it. He smiled at me and put out his hand. I smiled wider and walked up to him. I put my arms around his neck and breathed him in.

"I love you." He whispered his lips against my ear.

"I love you too." I whispered back and looked him in his eyes. "We'll figure it out." I told him. He nodded. "All I know is I'm not ready to let you go."

"And I'm not ready to go." He said and kissed me deeply.

"Come on." I smiled and kissed him again before leading him from the bathroom. We walked into view and Sam was grinning at us. "What is it?" I asked him.

"I think I know how to help Dean." He grinned.

* * *

We pulled up to a house with a large white tent in the yard. It was nothing like I had expected. Not only was it a long shot as is but I knew that Dean wouldn't go for it. Sam had driven us to a faith healer. Dean didn't have faith. I was sure he didn't believe in God and he was not going to do anything willingly.

"A faith healer? Sam, come on." Dean said angrily.

I tuned them out. I was taking in the people around us. The ones who were coming to be healed. The look on their faces as well as those of their loved ones. There was hope on their faces. There was hope in this place. Hope that I hadn't even considered since the doctor gave us the news. I smiled and looked at the brothers. Dean didn't look happy and Sam looked annoyed. Dean, I'm sure, was being difficult as always. I followed them into the tent but lingered in the back. I was nervous and I wanted to be able to leave if I needed to. Dean understood and that was all I needed. I listened to the preacher. He was blind but he looked kind. I smiled as I watched him and his wife.

"Are you just watching?" An elderly man asked me.

"Yes." I smiled at him. "My boyfriend needs the healing. He's with his brother over there." I said and pointed.

"Why aren't you with him?" The man asked.

"I'm not strong enough." I told him. "I thought I would be but I'm not."

"And why do you think that is?" He smiled at me.

I looked at him. "Because I am scared."

"Everyone is scared." He smiled. "It means we have something to lose."

"I don't want to lose him." I replied.

"Something tells me you won't." He grinned wider.

"What makes you say that?" I asked with furrowed brows.

"Because your boy is up on the stage." He replied.

I looked back and Dean was standing with the preacher. My heart leapt at the sight of it. He was going to be healed. He turned and his eyes locked with mine. I grinned at him and he winked back. The preacher placed his hand on Dean's head and just seemed to wait. He held out his arms and just seemed to be waiting for something. I watched but frowned as a painful expression crossed Dean's face. He fell to his knees before he fell to the floor. Panic replaced the joy and I rushed toward him. Sam was already there and I went to his side.

"Dean?" I asked him. He was already coming to. "Baby, are you okay?" He had an odd look on his face. "Dean?"

"I'm okay." He said finally getting up.

There was only one person healed per session that the preacher had. After Dean was healed the crowd almost immediately started to disperse. Some were thrilled that Dean was healed. It seemed they were here just to see it done. But the hope I had seen when we had walked in was gone from everyone else. Everyone who had hoped today would be their day to be healed were crushed that it didn't happen. I wished I could feel for them but my heart soared at the fact that Dean no longer had one foot in the grave. The first stop we made afterward was to the doctor's office. We needed to know if he was healed or not. To our great relief, there was no sign of a heart problem. He had been fully healed.

"This is fantastic." I grinned at him.

"Yeah." He smiled but it was half hearted.

"What is it?" I asked him. "You don't seem nearly as happy about this as you should."

"It's just that…" He said and paused.

"What?" I asked my smile gone.

"Something feels off about this whole thing." He told me. His eyes were distant.

"How can something this good be wrong?" I asked him with a small smile. "You're healed. Nothing could be better then that." He returned my smile and kissed me deeply. "I'm just happy you're not leaving me."

"Never." He whispered.

* * *

The happiness was cut short as we looked deeper into Dean's fears. The deeper we looked into it the stranger things seemed to be. The doctor who had examined Dean had said that another young man had come in who had died from heart problems. Sam had gone to interview people, leaving Dean and I too wait and see what he would find. When Sam returned, Dean's fears were justified. The young man who had died of heart problems had died the same time that Dean had been healed. We looked back at the others who were healed and at the same time another died of the same symptoms. I sat with Cooper on the bed and watched Dean pace in front of me. Sam had gone to the preacher's house to have a look around. I was still worried about Dean, even though I knew that he was fine.

"It's all going to be fine." I told him as sincerely as I could. He just nodded. "Dean, please sit down." He shook his head. "Honey, please, just try and relax."

"I can't." He said looking at me. "I'm alive and I shouldn't be. It was wrong. That man who died didn't deserve to die. No one should have their life stripped from them like that."

"I know." I said softly, looking at my hands. Dean didn't look very happy and I didn't want to argue with him. I just wanted to be happy that he was alive and healthy. "Dean, I don't want to fight." I told him standing. "I know you're upset and there is nothing I can say to make you feel better. The only thing that matters to me is that you're healthy again. I know that a life for a life is unfair but you're alive and because of that many more can be saved. If you had died many would have suffered because I wouldn't have been able to face the job without you. I wouldn't be able to go on without you." I told him, tears filling my eyes. "I know you're angry and I'm sorry that you are but I'm not sorry that you're alive. I wouldn't be able to do all of this knowing that it's what killed you. Sam wouldn't be able to do it. He would in the end but I wouldn't. I've tried the normal living and I can't do that either which means I would plummet into a black hole unable to climb out." I pushed out in nearly one breath. Dean looked at me and was about to say something when I put my hand up. "Just…don't say anything." I told him. "I'm going to take Cooper for a walk." I said looking down at my dog. He looked up at me. "I'll be back later." I said without looking at Dean as I turned toward the door.

"Evy, wait." Dean said as I opened the door.

I paused but didn't turn around. "I can't sit here and watch you feel sorry for yourself. I'm going out. I'll be back later. Go do what you need to do to make yourself feel better." I said and looked over my shoulder at him. "Because I obviously can't give you what you need right now. I'm right here but you're not happy with what's going on. I don't want to fight and I don't want to try and understand what's going on when I know I can't. I just…" I stopped and gave a heavy sigh. "Just do what you need to do." I told him and left the room.

I walked down the hall taking several deep breaths in order to keep myself calm. Cooper was watching me as we walked from the building. I had seen a park when we came into town. I found it and made myself comfortable on a swing. Cooper laid down in the grass near me and I smiled at him before swinging higher and higher enjoying the wind flowing over me. I closed my eyes and leaned back, letting the swing move forward and back until it almost stopped. I opened my eyes and leaned forward. My heart skipped a beat and Cooper's growl filled my ears. I stood up and took a few steps forward. Cooper moved to my side and I told him to wait.

"Why are you here? Why here and why now?" I asked him.

"It was so close." He said in his oh so familiar voice.

I looked into his yellow eyes and nodded. "Yup, but he's been saved." I replied. "Why are you following me?" I asked him. "Why so much interest? Do you follow all the others around like you do me?"

"Of course not." He smiled.

"I don't have the energy for this." I told him closing my eyes.

"Feeling a bit drained?" He smiled.

I nodded. I didn't want to play his games or try and fight him. I was just going to answer his questions.

"Nice looking dog you have there." He said eyeing my dog.

I nodded and looked at Cooper. "He's the best." I said and looked back up at him.

The demon gave a short laugh. "It appears that we are very close to an impasse." He said grinning at me.

"Maybe for today. Next time we meet it will not be true." I replied.

He gave a short laugh. "We may get along yet." He said and snapped his fingers.

I woke up on a grassy patch with Cooper on his back next to me. I frowned and looked around. Above me was a tall tree that shaded me and Cooper from the sun, or it would have if the sun hadn't started to set. I sat up and frowned as a snore erupted from my dog. I shoved him and he shot up onto his stomach. I laughed and continued to try and place where I was. I stood up and just a few yards off I could see the park. I sighed and shook my head. Cooper looked up at me and I met his eyes, his tail thumping on the ground. I shrugged and made my way from the small stretch of woods that encircled the small park. I took out my phone and looked at the dozen missed calls on my phone.

"Dean, I am so sorry that I missed your call. Please call me back when you get this. I would love to explain what's been keeping me." I said and hung up. "Come on Coop; let's go see if we can find him." I said and started to jog through the streets.

I didn't have the car but I knew I had to try and find them. There would only be a few places they would be. I walked past most of them as I headed to the outskirts of town, toward the preachers home. I was just about there when I heard a commotion that I didn't want to hear. A man was screaming. Cooper barked and started to run toward the sound. I was right behind him. There was a session going on, a few lights were illuminating the lines of cars. A man was running between them, running from something that I couldn't see. Then Dean appeared and hollered for Sam to hurry. I didn't know what was going on. I had missed everything while the stupid demon had me taking a long nap. Cooper rushed forward and stopped short, barking and lunging at some invisible thing.

"Dean!" I yelled as I finally joined them.

"It's a reaper!" He told me.

"Shit…" I said and stopped knowing there was nothing I could do. "Where is Sam?" I asked him.

"Trying to stop the preacher's wife!" Dean told me.

"What?" I frowned.

The next thing we knew the man was being forced to his knees and the color drained from his face. Dean and I were forced to watch as Cooper kept barking. Though a moment later he was released. We thought it was over. I thought it was over, until Dean swore. Cooper leapt in front of Dean and started to bark even more frantically.

"Dean…?" I said looking at him.

"Let's go." He said taking my hand and we started running. "Just go!" He yelled pushing me ahead of him.

I kept running though I looked over my shoulder and Dean was going to his knees. "No!" I yelled turning around. It was over before I reached him. I helped him to his feet, taking his head in my hands. "Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah." He said with that cocky smile of his.

I smiled and shook my head. "You have to stop playing with death." I said and kissed him.

"It's all good." He grinned.

I shook my head again and kissed him. We rejoined Sam and got filled in to how Sue Ann was controlling the reaper. She was now dead and the preacher was unable to heal anymore. What were we going to tell him and all of his followers? How were we going to try and explain this one? I opted to take the back burner on this one and stay with Cooper by the car. I wasn't as attached to this one as I should have been but I had my own encounter of the day. I had yet to tell them about it and was not looking forward to it. After it was all over Dean was still a bit distant but after a visit from a reaper and a near death experience we were all allowed to be having an off day.

"Are you okay?" I asked Dean as we laid in bed.

"Are you?" He countered.

"I am if you are." I said putting my hand on his face, rubbing his cheek with my thumb.

"I am." He said softly.

"Then so am I." I smiled.

"I'm glad." He replied, his eyes closing.

"Me too." I whispered and kissed each of his eyelids.

"Mmm." He said as he drifted off.

"I love you." I said in a softer whisper.

He breathed in and airily whispered, "I love you too."

I smiled and pecked his lips, running my fingers through his hair. I stayed up only a short while longer to watch him sleep before falling into a dreamless, comfortable sleep of my own.


	23. Love Lost

**Disclaimer: We all know it.**

**A/N: Here is the next chapter. I hope you like it! =]**

_**Chapter Twenty-three: Love Lost**_

The day had started with such promise. Dean was well and everything seemed to be in place. Life was good; as good as it could be in our line of work. It had been nearly a month since we had encountered the Reaper. The Supernatural world had been somewhat quiet. We hadn't had a job in over a week. It opened up the possibility of being happy, if only for a moment. Though the happiness I felt would be cut short, as it seemed it always was. The day came when I would truly despise my visions and one that would change the course of my life, for however long that may be…

I sat with Dean on the bed. His head lay in my lap. I ran my fingers through his hair as he slept. The book I had been reading lay open in my lap. I looked at Sam who was trying to find any signs of the supernatural. There was little to go through but he was being persistent. I slowly moved Dean from my lap and walked over to him, putting my arms around his neck as I looked over his shoulder. I kissed his cheek and looked at the article that he was reading.

"Anything good?" I asked.

"Nah." He said and leaned back in the chair.

I rested my chin on his shoulder and kissed his neck. "Are you okay?" I asked him.

"Yeah." He said looking at me.

"I wished that were true." I told him softly.

He smiled and put his hand on my face. "It's true. I promise."

"You used to be able to tell me anything." I stated.

"I still can." Sam replied, kissing my forehead.

I smiled and nodded before releasing him. I kissed his hair before looking back at the bed. Cooper had jumped up and was lying against Dean's side. I smiled and walked over to them. Cooper wagged his tail but didn't move. I crawled to Dean's other side and looked down at him. Cooper moved his head from the bed to Dean's chest. I smiled and stroked his head. I looked down at Dean and kissed him gently. He slowly stirred and a small grin crossed his face.

"Hey." I grinned down at him.

"Evy…" He whispered, putting his hand on my cheek.

"Dean…" I said and kissed him deeply. "You hungry?" I asked.

"I could go for something." He grinned.

I laughed and rested my hand on his chest, putting my ear next to his. "How does this feel?" I whispered as my hand moved between his legs. He groaned as his hands moved under my shirt. "How about this?" I said squeezing just hard enough.

"Guys!" Sam yelled. Dean and I stopped and we looked at him. His back was still to us. "I can hear you and I do not want to listen to you two fooling around."

"We'll go get some food." I said as I pulled Dean off the bed.

"Yeah, food…" Dean said grabbing his jacket as Cooper led the way to the door.

"No." I told the dog. "You stay here." I said and kissed the top of his head before closing the door behind us.

"You don't really want to get food do you?" Dean asked his arm tightly around my waist.

"No." I grinned. "The back seat of the Impala is plenty big enough for anything we want to do."

He pulled me against him and swept me up into his arms, carrying me to the Impala. I laughed and opened the door to the backseat. We crawled inside, Dean moving on top of me. I looked up at him and just the feel of his biceps underneath my hands was enough to raise my body heat. I had my hand on the back of his neck, playing with the hair on the nape of it. I smiled at him and he looked down at me for a moment before frowning.

"What?" He asked.

"You're making me hot." I grinned at him.

"I'm just too sexy for you." He said with a raised brow as he moved against me.

I laughed and kissed him. He laughed and his lips moved to my neck. I kissed his shoulder, my arms tracing the curve of his back. His hand moved to the base of my shirt. We were just getting hot and heavy when my pocket started to vibrate.

"What is that?" Dean asked. "You're so kinky." He grinned.

I frowned and hit his chest. I pulled my phone from my pocket and flipped it open. "Hello?" I said answering it.

"Evy?" Katy's voice replied.

"Katy? What's wrong?" I asked, moving out from underneath Dean.

"What is it?" Dean mouthed to me.

I shook my head at him and frowned. "Katy, tell me what's wrong." I told her. She started to cry. _Damn it. Of all the times to need a friend._ I thought as I listened to her. "It's okay sweetie. Just tell me what's wrong."

"I was pregnant." She told me. _Was? _I thought, waiting for her to go on. "I had a miscarriage." She told me, sounding much calmer.

I sighed and frowned. "I am so sorry sweetie." I told her. _Why now?_

"Where are you?" She asked me. "I could really use a friend right now. Not just any friend, I need you Evelyn. You know me better then anyone."

Her voice was nothing short of depressing and I knew that I didn't have a choice in this matter. I didn't know how far along she had been but this was a dream shattered for her. Things were finally going right and I was going to have to leave again. I was sick of this song and dance but I didn't want to renounce every aspect of my old life. I needed to support the friends I had left and of all of them, Katy was the most important to hold onto.

"I'll be there as soon as I can." I told her before hanging up the phone.

"What's going on?" Dean asked.

"Katy had a miscarriage." I replied.

"That sucks." He replied.

"I have to go back to San Diego." I told him.

"What?" He asked with a shocked look on his face.

"She needs me." I told him with a sad expression. "I couldn't tell her 'no'. She just lost her baby. Having a baby was the one thing she has always wanted. Michael and a baby. That's all she wants. This is a big deal. A bigger deal than I think you realize and I am still her friend and she needs me." I told him. "Now more then ever. Not only that but she put a roof over my head and I owe it to her."

"You don't need to convince me. I just don't want you to leave again." He replied.

"You're not going to fight me on this?" I asked him, my eyes narrowing.

He frowned and shook his head. "I'm not going to fight you on this." He replied.

I smiled and moved into his lap, putting my arms around his neck. "Thank you." I whispered and kissed him gently. "I guess I should go get me a car." I told him.

He smiled and kissed me. "I'll take care of the car. You go get you and the mutt packed." I gave a short laugh and kissed him once more before getting out of the car.

"Where are you going?" Sam asked me.

"San Diego." I replied.

"What's going on?" He asked concerned.

"Katy had a miscarriage." I told him. "She needs me so I'm going."

"I'm sorry." He said sadly.

I smiled at him. "She'll be okay. Things have been slow so I suppose it's the best time for it to happen but I'm not really keen on leaving." I replied.

"Is Dean going with you?" He asked.

I shook my head. "No, if anything should happen the two of you are stronger together. I'm driving so Coop is coming with me. I'll be okay away from you two as long as I've got my dog." I smiled at him.

"You'll check in?" Sam said and stepped up to me.

I laughed and put my arms around him. "I'll check in all the time. You can call me too." I told him, his head in my hands. He nodded. "You worry far too much." I smiled and kissed his cheek. "I've already proven that I can take care of myself. Besides, this is far from a supernatural thing."

I could feel his eyes on me as I packed mine and Cooper's things. I knew that his feelings hadn't changed. He had simply suppressed his wants for my sake and for Dean's. I hated hurting him, even though it was unintentional and something I couldn't help. Though the memories that Katy's house would hold would test me in more then one way. Two Winchesters had visited me there and neither of them was the man I was with now.

* * *

I sat in Katy's living room trying desperately to comfort my delirious friend. Cooper sat next to me but his ears were down, his head held low. He didn't know what was going on and I just told him to stay and he sat and waited for something to happen. I had my arms around Katy as she cried. I had brought as much chocolate and ice cream as I could. I handed her a miniature Hershey bar and she stopped crying long enough to eat it before the tears started again. I knew that this was hard but I was having trouble finding all the sympathy that I needed for this sort of thing. I had been emotionally stunted by everything that I had seen and now I had to try and be a normal human being.

"It'll be okay. There is still time. You'll try again. It'll happen." I told her, trying to make her feel better.

"Yeah, we'll be okay. We'll try again." She said smiling at me. "You're right. It'll be okay."

"I think it's time for ice cream and a sappy movie." I told her.

She started to cry again and nodded, "Okay."

Once she was asleep on the couch I finally had time to sneak away and check in with my boys. I tried Dean but he didn't answer so I called Sam, knowing that he would.

"She's a wreck." I told him. "I knew she was upset but my god she's miserable."

"But I'm sure you're helping." He replied.

I smiled, "I sure hope so."

"Thanks for checking in." Sam said softly.

"You're welcome." I replied.

We stayed on the phone in silence while I fell asleep. When I woke up the call was long over but I felt refreshed. I found Katy and Michael in the kitchen, both looked withdrawn and tired. I got a cup of coffee and sat across from them.

"Morning." I said breaking the silence. Katy gave me a small smile.

"Morning." Michael told me. "How've you been?" He asked.

"Not to make you feel any worse but I've been really good. Until Katy called me, which brought it down a bit." I replied.

"Yeah, but we'll be okay." He smiled taking his wife's hand. I smiled back at him. "It's just a bump in the road." Katy smiled and kissed him tenderly.

It was awkward and slightly uncomfortable. I didn't know what to do. I wanted to comfort them and make them feel better but I honestly didn't know how I was going to accomplish it. I was struggling with my thoughts when Cooper whined and put his head on Katy's lap. She smiled at him and placed a kiss on the top of his head. Michael stroked him as well and what was needed came clear.

"I have an idea." I told them with a smile.

They looked at me with suspicious eyes and I simply told them to get ready for the day and then went to do the same. I was so excited yet nervous at the same time. I thought I was doing the right thing. It would be something to distract them and in my opinion would do both of them good.

"I don't know." Katy told me as we walked through the pound. Several brown eyes were looking up at her. "They all look so sad."

"Kinda how you feel right now?" I asked. She nodded. "Just think how happy one of these dogs would feel if you took them home. You'd be saving a life. You may have lost the life of a child but don't fall apart. Give life back to something that really needs it. Your time will come. Someday you will have the most beautiful baby in the world. But for right now, fill the void. Fill the void with something that matters. Something that will add pleasure to your life and take away some of your pain. I mean, look at him." I said pointing at a small puppy.

"He's so cute." Katy said squatting in front of the kennel.

The puppy was young. He looked like he was only a few months old. He was black and white and his breed was questionable to most but to me he was perfect.

"He's a pit bull." Michael said looking at the pup.

"Pit bulls make great dogs." I told him. "They are loving and protective and he would be an asset to the family. Just take him out and give him a chance."

He looked from me to the puppy before nodding. I called the attendant over and we took the puppy outside into the exercise yard. The puppy ran around and did its business before coming back. He smelled all of our feet before sitting down and looking up at Katy. His ears were perked and his tail started to thump. She squatted in front of him and he came forward and sat just in front of her, his chest nearly touching her knee. He stretched his neck out as far as possible and his tongue lapped in and out, trying to reach her face. She started to pet him and his tongue moved over her hands. A broad grin crossed her face and she looked up at Michael. He bent down and started to pet the pup. It took only a few moments for the couple to attach to the dog. I stood back and grinned at them. I was ecstatic. Maybe it was just me but this was as good as having a baby or getting married. When we left with the puppy our first stop was PetSmart to get everything that he would need. We spent far too much but both were excited to have the addition to the family. They named him Cisco. He was the perfect puppy. I stayed nearly a week longer, helping Katy with anything and everything. He needed to learn a few things but it was fun to watch him play with Cooper, even though Coop seemed to be too mellow to play with such a lively pup. After a while he got into it and had fun playing with his new friend. Everything had started out on a sad note but it ended with a high one. Everything was going to be okay and I felt like I had done well.

"Thank you so much, Evy." Katy said hugging me tight. Cisco sat at her feet, behaving just as he should.

"You are more then welcome. I'm glad I came. I just hope I helped." I told her.

"You helped more then you know." She said and scooped the puppy up into her arms. "It's not what I had thought would happen but it does make me feel better. I'm very excited about him."

"I'm glad." I said hugging her again. "He won't let you down. They say shelter dogs give more because they know you saved them. They know what you've done for them and will give it back ten fold."

"I'll keep you posted." She smiled.

"You better." I grinned and kissed her cheek before going to the car.

I opened the door for Cooper and he jumped into the passenger seat. It was hard to leave, having no troubles for a week. But I was anxious to return and couldn't wait to see my men. It was time, though something unforeseen was about to happen that would once again change the direction of my life. The sun had set and I had planned on driving all night. I had had a strange feeling most of the drive so far. I couldn't place it and passed it off as nothing. Cooper didn't seem to sense anything and I trusted him to tell me if anything was amiss. I was in the middle of nowhere. I hadn't seen a town in miles. I wasn't tired and thinking about Dean made me want to get back twice as fast. I was thinking about him when a pain erupted in my head and panic started to seep into me as my vision blurred.

_There was a black truck that was revving in front of a country house. It appeared to be unoccupied. There was a woman yelling in the house. It panned to her, allowing me to hear what she was yelling. It was Dean's name. It didn't mean anything until the scene changed to a bedroom with two people making love. It zoomed and turned allowing me to see the same woman and on top of her was Dean. It stayed there for a torturous moment before the vision faded away._

The vision was gone but the pain it had put in me only intensified. As I came back from the vision I realized that I was upside down. I could hear the engine trying to work and when I looked out the window all I could see was cattails. I was upside down in a ditch with water starting to fill the car. I didn't remember the crash in any way. My body hurt like hell. It took only a moment longer to think of Cooper.

"Cooper?" I said feeling where he should have been. "Coop?" I called.

It felt like unconsciousness was going to take me. I tried to stay awake but the need to sleep was very alluring. I was just about to let it take me when I heard barking. I could hardly keep my eyes open. I felt licking on my face and could hear Cooper's whining.

"Miss?" I heard a frantic male voice. "Miss are you all right?" He asked.

"Is he okay?" I managed to get out.

"What?" He asked confused.

"The dog. Is he okay?" I asked.

"Don't worry about the dog." He shot at me.

"Just answer the question." I told him.

"I think so." He replied quickly.

"Good." I said and started to drift off.

"No, stay with me. Stay with me." He told me.

I couldn't open my eyes but I was conscious of what was going on. I remember him cutting me from my suspended position. His hands were firm but gentle. He caught me in his arm as he cut me free. I could feel his hands run down the length of my body. He laid me on the ground and for a moment all I could hear was Cooper's whining. Then I felt something being tied around my waist and my leg. I felt him drag me from the car before being lifted off of the ground. After that everything was fuzzy. Cooper's whining was a constant in my ear before everything faded entirely.

_

* * *

_


	24. Broken and Bleeding

**Disclaimer: The usual.**

**A/N: Here is the next chapter. Today is another two for one type of thing. I hope you like it. Reviews would be great! =] Enjoy!!!**

_**Chapter Twenty-four: Broken and Bleeding**_

When the beeping of the monitors aroused me, I took in the very white room. I frowned and closed my eyes. I had seen too many white rooms that matched this one perfectly. I looked myself over and tried to sit forward. When pain coursed through me I laid back, knowing that I wasn't going to be able to leave just yet.

"You're awake." A man said appearing in the doorway.

I looked at him, frowning. He was tall of medium build. He had blond hair that was longer, covering his forehead. He had it pushed to the side. He had blue eyes. Over all a nice appearance. I just looked at him, not saying a word.

"How are you feeling?" He asked. I still didn't say anything. "I'm going to get the doctor." He said and went to walk away.

"Where's my dog?" I asked him, my voice raspy. It was so dry.

"He's at the vets." He replied.

"Why? You said he was okay." I told him.

"You remember the accident?" He asked.

"No, not really. I remember my dog being in the car with me and you telling me that he was okay. Which vet and how bad is he hurt?" I asked.

"There's a clinic across town. He needed some stitches but other then that he's fine. I told them what happened and they're holding on to him until you're released." He replied.

"Thank you." I said and closed my eyes.

I drifted off to sleep for what seemed to be ages when a hand touched my arm. I shot awake, instinctively reaching for the knife I didn't have on me. I practically fell out of the bed.

"Easy does it." A doctor told me. I just looked at him. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I crashed my car." I replied, settling back onto the bed.

"How is your pain level?" He asked.

"Good enough to get out of here." I told him.

He frowned at me. "This would go a lot easier if you would help me out a little." He said checking my vitals.

"I don't like hospitals and I've been through worse." I told him. "I would like to be released."

"You have some minor internal bleeding. It isn't serious but it could be if you don't get some rest." He told me.

I looked him square in the eyes. "I don't care." I said pausing between each word.

The doctor frowned harder and just looked at me. "You're not leaving." He said and left.

"What's the matter with you?" The blond man asked me. "You're hurt and you want to walk. I don't understand that." He frowned.

"And you never will. Thank you for your help but I'll be okay." I replied.

"Okay then." He said and left.

I waited a moment for him to reappear before closing my eyes. I wasn't going to deny the fact that I needed to rest but I also had the image of Dean and some woman making love. My visions were never wrong and this one hurt more then the injuries that I sustained. I grabbed the phone, putting it in my lap. I wanted to dial Dean. I wanted to talk to him and to ask him if it were true, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I did the next best thing.

"Sammy…" I said when he answered.

"Where are you?" He asked concerned. "I've been trying to call you. I called Katy and she said you had left two days ago."

"Did Dean have sex with another woman?" I blurted out.

"What?" Sam asked but his tone told me it was true.

"What's her name Sam? I saw it. I had a stupid vision and it was cruel enough to show me Dean having sex with another woman." I told him.

"Her name is Cassie. It was a fling he had but he loved her. She was in trouble and we helped her out. It was a one time thing." He told me. "We're already gone and there is nothing between them."

"He cheated on me." I told him, my voice cracking.

"Where are you?" He asked again, anguish filling his voice.

"How could he do this to me?" I asked. "I gave him everything. I loved him and he cheated on me." I said as tears came to my eyes. "I don't deserve this. I don't deserve to be cheated on. I gave him all of me and he threw it away. So what am I now?" I asked him.

"Evy, tell me where you are." He told me forcefully.

"In a hospital." I replied.

"What?" Sam asked his voice now fearful.

"When I had my vision I was driving. When the vision was over I was upside down in a ditch." I told him. "I don't even know where I am and I don't really care. I don't care Sam. How could he do this to me?"

"Is that her?" I heard Dean say in the background.

"Don't tell him it's me." I told him. "I don't want to talk to him." I said and paused. "I have to go."

"Wait –" Sam started.

I hung up on him and stared at the ceiling. I closed my eyes and drifted off into an uneasy sleep, filled with heartache and betrayal.

* * *

It was nearly a week later when the doctor finally cleared me for discharge. It was sooner then he wanted but I wasn't going to stay any longer then I had to. My left leg was stitched and bandaged making my walking slower and more painful then usual. My only thought was getting Cooper and leaving town, destination once again unknown. I was surprised when I walked out of the hospital doors to see Cooper sitting and waiting for me. The blond man standing next to him, leaning against a car. I stopped in my tracks and looked at the man. I smiled at Cooper and he couldn't contain himself. He ran forward and launched himself into my arms. I caught him and, remarkably, stayed on my feet. I held him tight against me, stroking his fur. I put him down and continued to give him affection before finally turning my attention to the man.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"You first." He replied.

"Thanks for taking care of him." I said and started to walk away.

"Why don't you want to tell me your name?" He asked me.

"Because it's none of your business." I told him.

"Trevor Burrows." He replied.

"Okay then." I said not looking at him.

"I can give you a ride." He replied.

I stopped and turned. "In order for you to give me a ride I would need to know where I'm going and I don't." I told him.

"Then what are you going to do?" He asked.

"Why do you care?" I countered. "You don't even know me."

"You're right, I don't." He replied.

"All I want is to go get drunk, have some angry sex, and get out of town." I told him.

"I can do all of that." He grinned.

"Go to Hell." I said and turned away from him.

"Okay." He said and when I looked over my shoulder he was walking back to his car.

I stroked Cooper's head and made my way from town. I didn't have a car and my things were going to weigh heavily on my back if I had to walk to the next town. It didn't take long before I realized that I should have taken Trevor's offer. After three hours of walking I felt even stupider. Cooper was doing fine but I was starting to hurt and my bag was starting to be a burden.

"I'm so tired." I told Cooper as I found a tree to sit against in the ditch.

I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep. I woke up to Cooper licking me. The sun had started to set and I knew I had to keep moving if I wanted to make it to the next town before it set completely.

"This'll be fun." I told him. "Good boy." I said and pulled gently on his ear before we started walking again.

Several hours had passed and the sun had long set. I couldn't walk half my normal pace and the pain was making my head foggy. Cooper seemed to be doing just fine but I was on the brink of breaking down. The only thing that kept me going was know that if I slowed down, if I let myself sleep then the vision would return and I would have to watch it all over again. I already felt like I had been standing right next to the bed. I didn't need to see it again. It was already a constant thought in my mind. I couldn't figure out what would make him cheat. Love was supposed to mean more then that. When he said he loved me I believed him. He betrayed me and of all the things for him to do this was the worst he could have done. His dying all of a sudden didn't seem like such a bad idea. I couldn't erase my love for him but I could bury it for the time being. I was walking along the ditch, averting my gaze as cars went by. I wanted to see the signs but wanted to be as out of site as possible. A few cars stopped and offered me a lift but I refused. I didn't want to be with anyone. I just wanted to disappear, never to return. My heart was breaking and the only thing that could comfort me was Cooper and even he had his limits.

"I can't do it." I said finally falling to my knees. My wounded knee seared with pain and I fell onto my back, biting my lower lip to keep myself from calling out. Cooper came and licked my face. "Why?" I said as tears came to my eyes. "Why would he do this to me?" I stroked his fur as he whined down at me. "I loved him so much. For him to do this is just…" I said and shut my eyes. A moment later there was the sound of a car slowing and the door opening. I froze and Cooper's hackles rose as a low growl erupted from his throat. "It's okay." I whispered as I got to my feet.

"What are you doing?" A man asked me. The light from the car cast shadows over him but his voice was becoming familiar and I rolled my eyes, frowning.

"I really don't like you." I told him. Cooper barked and his growl intensified.

"He's really attached to you isn't he?" He said looking at the dog.

"You should see him when I tell him to attack." I said putting my hands on my hips.

"Go ahead." He said confidently. I just stood there looking at him. "I didn't think you'd do it." He said cockily.

"What do you want? It's the middle of the night and you have no allegiance to me. So why won't you just leave us alone? I thanked you for helping my dog. Now we just want to be alone."

"No one wants to be alone." He stated.

"After what I went through, yes, I do." I replied heading down the ditch again.

"Do you always reject people who are only trying to help?" He asked following me from the road.

"Only cocky bastards like you." I replied.

"What's your name?" He asked.

"Weren't you the one who tried to find my ID?" I asked him, still walking.

"No, I wasn't going to go through your personal things. The cops did but they didn't tell me who you were."

"Is that because you came and went so often?" I said glancing over my shoulder at him. "Where are you going anyway?" I asked him.

"I'm going home." He replied.

"Then go." I said harshly as I continued on my way.

"You are stubborn." He stated.

"You make really good observations."

"You're hurt and alone. Just let me take you to the next town. It's just a few miles ahead." He told me in an almost sweet tone.

"I'm not alone. I have my dog. He's all I need." I said looking at him before continuing.

"You're limping worse then ever. The stitches won't hold if you don't rest them." He said still following.

"Why are you being so persistent?" I asked him, turning toward him. "Why do you care so much? Thank you for pulling me from the car, I really do appreciate it but you've taken far too much interest in me and that needs to stop." I told him flatly.

"I find you fascinating." He replied.

"I'm nothing of the sort." I said turning away again. Cooper whined at my side. "I know." I whispered to him. "My stubbornness is going to get me killed."

"Please…" He said his tone shifting.

I stopped and looked up at him. I sighed and lowered my head. I closed my eyes momentarily before looking up at him. "A ride would be nice." I told him giving in though the words were forced.

"Good." He smiled.

"On one condition." I told him. He looked at me, waiting. "No more questions and just to the next town."

He smiled and nodded, "Fine."

"Fine." I replied and started up the hill.

I stumbled and Trevor came down and helped me up the embankment and to the car. I was grateful, though I would do my best not to show it. He opened the back door and Cooper jumped in. I looked over my shoulder at the dog and he seemed relieved to be off his feet. He laid down and looked at me, his ears perked and his head tilted. I smiled and grabbed his muzzle, placing a kiss on his nose. He licked my face as his tail thumped on the seat. I turned to the front and looked at Trevor. The expression on his face made it seem like he had made some kind of small accomplishment. I sighed and shook my head, looking out the window as we started down the road.

* * *

When I woke up the sky was dark. The scenery looked much the same but I felt very much rested for sleeping only a short time. I rubbed my neck, working the stiffness out of it. I suddenly realized that my whole body felt extremely stiff. I looked at Trevor and he wasn't wearing the same clothes as he had been when he picked me up. I frowned at him and looked over my shoulder at Cooper. He was fine.

"How long was I asleep for?" I asked him.

"A really long time." Trevor replied. "I tried waking you but it was like waking the dead. I've been driving nonstop since I picked you up last night."

"Last night?" I asked him. "So basically a day?"

"Give or take an hour or so." He replied.

"Hmph." I said resting my head on the back of the seat. "I feel better." I stated, realizing how true that was. "A lot better actually." I frowned.

"So why are you frowning?" He asked.

"No reason." I stated and looked out the window.

"You talked in your sleep." He told me.

"What did I say?" I said looking back at him.

"Who's Dean?" He countered.

I looked at my hands and thought if I should confide in him or not. It might make me feel better. "He's my boyfriend, or rather, was my boyfriend." I told him. "He recently cheated on me."

"Did you love him?" He asked.

"More then anything." I stated, tears starting to sting my eyes.

"Did he love you?"

"I thought he did. I wouldn't have doubted it if I hadn't seen him cheating with my own eyes." I told him.

"I'm sorry." He told me.

"I almost believe you." I replied.

We were silent for a while, though it was an awkward silence. He turned on the radio and for a moment it was simply a nice ballad. I wasn't paying much attention to it. Then the chorus came and it drew my attention to it.

_I'm not a princess. This ain't a fairy tale. I'm not the one you'll sweep off her feet, lead her up the stairwell. This ain't Hollywood. This is a small town. I was a dreamer before you and you let me down. Now it's too late for you and your white horse to come around._

I felt tears springing to my eyes. They said something that I had believed in. I thought I had had my fairy tale. I had my man and even though our life wasn't as "normal" as most, it was a life I was comfortable with and it gave me him. It was my fairy tale. It had been, until it was torn away from me.

"Right, let's turn that shit off." Trevor said as he did just that. I looked at him before looking back out the window. "Are you going to tell me your name yet?" He asked breaking the silence.

"No." I replied.

"Why not? I saved your life, I'm giving you a ride, and I even fed your dog. I think that earns me the right to know your name." He smiled.

I sighed and looked at him. "You still haven't told me why you're helping me. Why you keep showing up."

"I'm a good guy that's why." He replied.

I gave a short laugh. "You're a pain in my ass is what you are."

He laughed and shook his head. "I hope you don't repay all your rescuers like this."

"No, the last rescuer I had I fell in love with and would of spent the rest of my life with him but he happened to cheat on me." I told him flatly.

Trevor didn't say anything and I looked at him. His eyes lingered on me for a moment before he returned them to the road. I didn't give him any more snippets about me. I wanted our parting to be as simple as possible and that would mean that there was nothing there to connect us. I appreciated his help but I wasn't looking for another man to help me out. I wasn't looking for anything other then a place where I could disappear to and recuperate before deciding whether I would return to the brothers or track down John on my own. He would take me with him. Especially if I told him what Dean had done. So now I had a plan even though it was flawed and uncertain.

"Thank you." I told Trevor when we had stopped at a hotel in the next town. "I appreciate the ride but this is where we part ways." I told him.

"Why?" He asked. "You're going to hitchhike again?"

"Probably." I said nodding.

"It's not healthy. Who knows who'd pick you up." He replied.

I smiled and nodded. "Believe it or not I can take care of myself."

"I'm not saying you can't. I'm just saying it'd be a waste to have a beautiful woman like you being wiped off the map because she didn't want to accept a ride from an acquaintance." He said with a boyish smile. I was all too familiar with boyish smiles. "Just stick with me until you've healed just a little bit more. I'll even feed you."

I looked at him and even though he had been a pain in the ass it would be foolish to reject his offer. I sighed and nodded. He nodded and smiled, motioning for me to follow him.

"I need to make a call and let Cooper stretch his legs." I told him.

"Okay." He said and went to get a room.

I took a deep breath as the phone rang. "Hey Sam." I smiled into the phone.

"Are you all right?" He asked quickly.

"No, not really." I told him.

"Are you still in the hospital? I haven't heard from you in a week."

"No, I'm out." I told him.

"Where are you? We'll pick you up." He told me.

I frowned as anger bubbled up. "Do you honestly think I want you to pick me up? He _cheated_ on me Sam. He cheated and I don't want to see him right now. Or in the near future for that matter." I practically yelled into the phone.

"Evy, please, he feels horrible. It just happened but it didn't mean anything." He told me sadly.

"Don't make excuses for him, Sam. He's a big boy. He made the decision. I'm riding with the guy who pulled me from the car. I'll be traveling with him until I decide what to do." I told him. "Tell Dean he's a jackass and to go to Hell for me." I said and hung up the phone. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Tears were in my eyes again and I took steady breaths to try and make them go away.

"Is everything okay?" I heard Trevor ask.

I looked at him as the tears ran down my cheeks. I looked down at my phone. It was still open and Dean was smiling up at me. I shook my head and looked back up at him. The tears were coming faster and I turned away from him. Cooper leaned against my leg and whined. I stroked his head and pulled gently on his ears. I could hear Trevor shuffling his feet. I took another deep breath and wiped the lingering tears away before turning to him. I knew my eyes and face were probably red but I smiled nonetheless and walked past him, placing my hand on his chest as I did, whispering 'It's okay' to him. He nodded and followed me as I grabbed my bag, before going into the hotel.

"I got it." Trevor said taking it from me.

"No, I got it." I said though he had already taken it from me. "I don't need your chivalry." I told him as I limped behind him.

"Just shut up and come on." He told me.

I frowned but followed all the same. When we got to the room I was horrified to see only one bed. Cooper happily jumped up onto the bed and yawned before falling on his side. He put his paw out to me and I smiled and took it, gently squeezing it. I looked at Trevor with a raised brow. He shrugged and put both our bags in a corner.

"I'm not sleeping with you." I told him flatly.

"I wasn't expecting you to." He said just as there was a knock on the door.

He opened it and I couldn't help but smile as a cot was rolled into the room. He smiled and winked at me as he unfolded it, putting his bag on top of it. I smiled wider and nodded. I laid back on the bed next to Cooper and shut my eyes.

"You should let me look at your knee." He told me.

"I don't think so." I told him.

"Please?" He said softly.

I opened my eyes and looked at him. "I'm fine, Trevor. I won't break."

"No," He said sadly. "You're already broken."

I didn't have anything to say to that. I nodded and started to lift up my pant leg. He came over and looked at the rows of stitches. I kept my eyes on the ceiling as his fingers gently moved across my wounds. He went into his bag and took out a first aid kit.

"I'm just going to clean it up." He told me. I nodded and closed my eyes. "This might sting a little."

Pain seared through my knee and I shot up, grabbing it. "A little?!" I yelled at him.

He gave a short laugh. "Sorry." He told me.

"You're using alcohol on a fresh wound. What did you think was going to happen?" I asked him.

"You don't want an infection." He told me.

"What are you? Some kind of doctor?" I asked him.

He laughed. "No, my brother is a doctor and he tends to lector sometimes." He told me.

"Hm." I said and laid back down. "Learned from him have you?"

"Yeah, I have." He smiled. "He's the best doctor I know."

"I think you're a little bias." I told him.

"Maybe, but you should consider yourself lucky. I may just keep you from having any trouble with this."

"Can you also take them out in a couple of weeks?" I asked him.

"Yes I can." He smiled.

He finished and my knee actually felt better then it had before, once the pain started to subside. I kept it bent but after the pain faded away it felt almost normal.

"Thank you." I told him as I pulled my pants back over it.

"Don't mention it." He said sitting on the cot.

An uneasy silence filled the room. I didn't know what to say to him. He had been nothing but kind and as much as I hated to take comfort in anyone at this moment, he was right when he said no one wants to be alone.

* * *

"Just answer it." Trevor groaned as my phone went off again.

"No." I said and ignored the call.

"Then turn it off." He told me as he rolled over, his back facing me.

"Okay." I said and gave in, shutting it off. I had hoped John would have called me but he hadn't yet. "Sorry."

"Don't apologize. I don't know what's going on but whoever you want to call you isn't going to call you in the middle of the night. People assume that people sleep at night." He told me.

"Yeah, but you don't know me." I whispered before closing my eyes.

When I woke up I was alone, not even Cooper was in the room. That worried me and I got off the bed and was just reaching the door when it opened. It opened too fast for me to get out of the way and my wounded knee took the blow. I didn't call out but fell back against the wall, sinking to the floor. Cooper appeared and whined as he sensed my pain.

"Are you okay?" Trevor asked closing the door. "Jesus, I'm sorry." He said kneeling in front of me.

"It's fine." I said through clenched teeth. He put out his hand to help me up. "No! I'm fine." I told him.

He nodded and backed away. I got up and hobbled to the bed. I sat down and put my head between my legs. I looked at my knee and just hoped that none of them broke open. I lifted my pant leg and released the breath I had been holding when I saw that everything was intact. I was shaking from the pain but soon it dulled to an even pulse and I looked at Trevor.

"Sorry." I told him.

"It's not your fault." He said softly.

"What makes you say that?" I frowned at him.

"You didn't break yourself. Someone did it for you." He replied.

"You don't know what you're talking about." I told him angrily.

"So tell me." He replied.

"No." I stated.

"This Dean guy...you're still going to defend him even though he cheated on you. Why is that?"

"You don't know what you're talking about, so I suggest you just keep your mouth shut." I told him. It took only a moment to make my decision to leave. "Thank you for your hospitality but I think I'm going to be moving on." I told him standing and grabbing my bag.

"Come on." He frowned at me. "Just like that you're going to leave?" He asked.

"I have no allegiance to you and vise versa." I told him. "I don't have time to try and keep the peace or listen to someone who knows nothing about me. The deal was to keep your questions to yourself and it's obvious that you won't be able to. Thank you, Trevor, for everything you have done. But I need to be on my way…alone." I told him and quickly changed before leaving the room. Cooper whined up at me but I shook my head. "This is the wrong time to decide you like someone." I frowned at him.

I didn't know what I was doing or where I was going but getting involved in any way with another person would only end in disaster. I made my way from town and was more then happy to be alone on the road again. Every once in a while I had an offer for a ride but each time I turned them down. My leg still hurt but it was a pain that I was willing to live with. It was a reminder of what had happened and why I was unable to trust anyone anymore.

"Shit!" I said and stopped. It had been a few hours since I had left the hotel and just now I realized that my phone was back at the room. "Damn it!" I yelled.

I stopped and looked around before finally moving forward again. There was no going back. I wouldn't be able to get a hold of John if I didn't have access to a phone at all times. I kicked myself and kept going, so pissed off at myself that tears sprung to my eyes. Not only John would be calling that phone and now Trevor had it. I wanted to believe that he could be trusted, if only to ease my mind. I tried to move quickly and even accepted a ride from a middle-aged woman. She was nice enough but everyone asked far too many questions for their own good. 'What happened to your knee?' 'Where are you going?' 'Where are you coming from?'…it went on and on. People were so annoying. It was an hour drive to the next town. It was the longest drive of my life. When I finally got out of the car I gave her what money I could and Cooper and I went our separate way. I stopped at the nearest grocery store and got what food I could. I got a bag of food for Cooper and plastic bags to put it in. It would just add to the wait in my pack but it would be well worth it. Cooper needed to eat more than I and I'd rather feed him then have a lighter bag. I got food for myself as well, feeling more and more like a vagabond by the minute. When we finally were on our way again I tossed pieces of kibble to Cooper as we walked. We both had to eat on the move if we wanted to get to the next town before nightfall.

"What am I doing?" I asked him as we walked. "Huh? This is ridiculous. Maybe I should just find a phone and call Sam. Tell him to come pick us up. As much as I don't want to face Dean I want to live a long full life." I stopped and thought a moment. "Actually, if I wanted a long full life I wouldn't go back. Well, I'd live a long one anyway."

I talked to Cooper nonstop for what felt like hours. When we reached town the sun was still a line on the horizon. I got myself a room for the night and paced in front of the phone. Trying to figure out who to call. When I finally picked up the receiver I was surprised by whose number my fingers dialed.

"Why?" I asked when he answered the phone. "Why God damn it! I loved you! I loved you more then anything and you threw it all away when you got into bed with that woman! How could you?! How could you, Dean?" I asked and paused as my voice cracked.

"Baby, I am so sorry." He said into the phone. His voice full of anguish. "I am so, so sorry."

"I wish I believed you." I said shaking my head. "I wish I had it in me to believe you. But I can't trust you. Not anymore." I said and hung up the phone.

My pain seemed to all of a sudden break out of me. I dialed another number and when someone answered it I couldn't help but cry into the phone.

_

* * *

_


	25. Alliances

_**Chapter Twenty-five: Alliances**_

I sat in the passenger seat; feeling more ridiculous then I had ever felt. I had made the call to the only person I thought I could. The person I knew the least but now counted on the most. I looked out the window. My eyes were still wet. I didn't want to talk about it and he didn't push me. We sat in silence as we drove. He had been there in only a few hours and we had left as soon as he had brought my things to the car. As much of a pain in the ass as he was he was a decent guy. Though, as soon as he said he was coming, my guilt intensified. I had no right to bring him into my life with him being clueless as to what I did, and now I owed him more then I wanted to. This was the third time he had bailed me out and now I owed him.

"Thank you." I finally told him.

"You're welcome." He replied without looking at me.

I looked at my hands before looking at him again. "Evy Connors." I told him.

He looked at me. "What?"

"My name…is Evy Connors." I repeated.

"Thank you." He told me softly.

"No, thank you." I told him again. "I really appreciate you coming to get me. I didn't know what else to do. I'm supposed to be strong but this isn't something I had prepared myself for." I explained.

"I haven't asked anything of you." He told me. "I'm not here to judge or ask for you to confide in me. I can assume anything I want but you're right when you said that I don't know you. Now, it's completely up to you whether you tell me about yourself or not. I'm not in this to get anything from it. You were in trouble, I helped you out. I'm here until you get back on your feet. Even if that's only half way onto your feet." I just looked at him. He looked back and gave me a small smile. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Yes." I told him.

"Did you call Dean, right before you called me?" He asked.

"Yes, I did." I said and looked out the window. "I turned into one of those stupid girls who call and yell at their ex's. I asked him why. I asked him why and tried to relay the amount of pain he put me in."

"What did he say?" Trevor asked.

"He said he was sorry. He was so sorry. I told him I wished I could believe him but I couldn't. The call ended shortly after that."

"You hung up on him?" Trevor asked.

"Yup." I said.

"Then you called me." He stated.

"Right after I hung up on him. I didn't realize that I was going to break down until you answered the phone." I told him honestly.

"Getting attached?" He asked.

"No, forming an alliance." I told him.

He looked at me and nodded. We didn't talk again until we were in the hotel room. "I'll take Cooper for a walk if you want to get cleaned up." He told me. "I'll get my things when I come back."

"Thank you." I smiled and took my bag from him. I was barely through the door when my phone rang. I looked at it and was almost relieved. It was John. It took me a moment to decide whether I should answer it or not. "Hello?" I said putting it to my ear.

"Thank God." He said and heaved a heavy sigh.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"You tell me." He replied.

"Who called you?" I asked.

"No one. I called Sam when I hadn't heard from you. Why didn't you answer when I called earlier?"

"I forgot my phone in a hotel room." I told him.

"Where are you now? Sam said you were in an accident."

"John, don't worry about me. I'm good at making friends." I told him. "A man rescued me from the car after I flipped it. I'm with him right now. He's the only one I can count on right now."

"What?" He said sounding shocked. "You listen to me. You can't bring people into your life. You'll ruin them." He told me.

"That stings a little, John." I frowned into the phone. "I am more then aware of what I'm doing but I'm a little bit broken on the inside right now. I'm full of stitches, I was bleeding internally, and _your_ son cheated on me with some black chick. So I'm sorry but I'll take any friendly stranger over your family right now."

"_You_ are my family. Don't you remember what I told you?"

"Of course I do, John. Do you remember what I told you?" I asked. "I loved your son, John. I loved him so much and he betrayed me. I can't just bounce back from that." I told him.

"I'm not going to make excuses for him but he loves you." He told me.

"John, I'm a mess. I need to get cleaned up." I replied.

"This is becoming too much of a habit. Tracking you down and telling you to go where you're safe."

"In order to be safe I'd have to be dead." I blurted out my tone harsh.

"Evy…"

"John!" I yelled into the phone. "I don't want anything to do with your family anymore. Just leave me alone!" I said and hung up the phone.

Tears were welling in my eyes. I put my hands over my ears trying to make everything stop. I stripped and went to the shower. I ran the water hot, almost enough to burn. I grabbed a washcloth and started to scrub my body. Trying to scrub away the time I had spent with the Winchesters. My skin was raw and red by the time I went into the main room. Trevor was sitting on the bed, Cooper next to him. He was stroking the dog's head.

"You were crying pretty hard." Trevor stated.

"I just broke ties with the only family I had left. I'm officially alone." I replied as I sat on the bed across from him. "This sucks." I grinned as tears filled my eyes.

"Ever think you're over exaggerating?" He asked.

"Yeah, I do." I told him. "But he hurt me, real bad. I can't forgive him for that just yet."

"You should call him." He told me.

"No." I laughed.

He took my phone from the table and handed it to me. "Call him." He said sternly.

I took it and looked at the phone. I took a deep breath and looked at him before dialing Dean's number. "Hi." I said airily when he answered.

"Hi." He said tentatively.

"I spoke to your dad and a…didn't leave things in a very good spot." I told him.

"He called." He replied. "He was pretty upset. Said you didn't want anything to do with any of us."

"I may have overreacted." I told him. "But you have to understand my side of this."

"I understand and I am sorry. It didn't mean anything. It was just a one time thing with a girl I used to know."

"You mean who you used to love." I corrected.

"Yes, I loved her but that was a long time ago. I love _you._" He told me.

"Dean…I didn't want to call you. Trevor wanted me to because I've been a bit broken since I've met him. This, talking to you, is already helping I think but I don't want to hear that you love me right now. I'm questioning you in every way at the moment. I just need to work through this. You need to give me time and let me go back to you if that's what's going to happen." I told him.

"Okay. I understand." He replied. "Just, please keep in touch. I need to know that you're safe."

"Okay." I replied. "I'll talk to you later." I said and hung up. I took a deep breath and looked at Trevor. "Happy?" I asked.

"Feel better?" He countered.

"Yeah." I said and nodded.

He smiled but didn't look convinced. "You miss him don't you?" He asked.

I looked at my feet before glancing up at him. I nodded and sighed. "I miss him a lot." I said with a small laugh. "Almost enough to tell him that it doesn't matter if it didn't mean anything. That I forgive him and just want him to come get me. Almost enough to profess my undying love for him that I question nearly every day." I said and took a deep breath. "And I'm sure that that was far more information then you wanted to know." I smiled at him.

"Maybe a little. I mean, having a hot girl traveling with me but who has absolutely no interest in me. It's driving me nuts." He said sarcastically.

I grinned at him and shook my head. "Thank you, Trevor. You've been a very good friend in our limited time together."

"I try." He grinned.

* * *

We had moved on and was in some small town in Kentucky. I stopped reading the town signs so I couldn't call Dean and tell him where I was. I was hurt by his actions but it hurt more to be away from him. He filled my dreams every night and I realized that there was nothing he could do that could truly make me stop loving him. The more I thought about it the cornier it sounded. I had become one of those people who were so in love that it hurt to breath when you were apart. I tried to stop feeling like that. I kept staying away only to be brought back to him. I didn't want to be the one who loved more. I didn't want him to consume me like he was right now. I just wanted to love and be loved but have a life. Though I would never have a normal one. The supernatural would always be a part of it and I would always have to deal with it. Not only that but I had brought Trevor into my life and I wouldn't forgive myself if I got him hurt or killed because of who I was. My fingers moved to the necklace around my neck, my fingers moving over the pentagram that hung on it. Dean had given it to me only a few months ago. He told me it would help protect me. Though with my luck it would only mean that I would get minimally damaged rather then killed. I had horrible luck. This thing with Dean being the latest run of it. I dropped it and turned onto my side. The sky was dark and I could hear Trevor's heavy breathing from the next bed. I sighed and got up, looking at Cooper before sneaking out of the room alone. I walked out into the cool air and took a deep breath, closing my eyes as I raised my head to the sky. I opened my eyes and smiled. The sky was clear and the stars were bright. I started to walk through the small town. The fresh air would help clear my mind. My hand instinctively moved to the pentagram and I couldn't help by smile. He had left it on his pillow with rose petals around it. He knew I liked that sort of thing. We were in this together. I closed my eyes and sighed as I tried not to think about him. I was just about succeeding when someone fell in step next to me. I knew who it was before I opened my eyes. The vibe he gave off was his and his alone. I stopped and looked at the ground. I shook my head and then looked up at him.

"I am so sick of asking you this. What do you want?" I asked him.

His yellow eyes seemed to mock me as he said, "What do you think I want?"

I rolled my eyes and kept walking. "I'm not playing your games." I told him.

"I've come up with a way to end our impasse." He told me as he walked instep with me.

"And how is that?" I asked. "You have no effect on me anymore." I stated with a smile.

He grinned at me devilishly. "I may not affect you but I know how to hurt you." He stated. "I've done it once, I can do it again." I frowned at him. "Ah yes, you remember. How is Dean by the way?"

"Leave him out of this." I told him threateningly.

He laughed and waved his hand. "Been there, done that." He sated. "I have a new game up my sleeve."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, fear creeping into me.

"There's the look I was hoping for!" He said and laughed. "Fear! I'll have you know that I can be in the hotel room and back with the thing that matters most to you in little over a second." He stated.

"Just deal with me. You don't need to bring anyone else into this. Isn't it boring yet?"

"That's why I've decided to take something from you. I've already alerted him to my presence. He'll be along any moment now." He said confidently.

Just as he finished he turned around and I followed his example by doing the same. To my horror a familiar barking filled my ears as Cooper came screaming down the sidewalk. His teeth were bared and he let loose a snarl as he threw himself at the demon. I yelled 'no' but there was nothing I could do. Cooper had leapt and yellow-eyes put up his arm, allowing the dog to grip onto him. It seemed like less then a second had passed and I witnessed my dog get thrown several yards before coming down on top of a parked car. I screamed and went to run to him but my arm was grabbed and the demon pulled me to him, taking my other arm as he lifted me off my feet.

"Yes, join your dog." He said and soon there was only wind as I flew through the air.

I didn't go as far. I hit the pavement and rolled several feet before coming to a halt on my stomach. I could taste blood and the pain that I felt made it very difficult to tell if my body was moving the way I told it to. I got to my hands and knees and crawled over to Cooper. His motionless body lay on the ground next to the car. "Cooper?" I whispered and I stumbled onto my side. "Coop?" Suddenly I heard my name being called. I looked behind me and yellow-eyes saluted me before vanishing from sight. Trevor came into site and from behind him the demon appeared again. "Trevor! Behind you!" I yelled but it was too late. The demon struck him and he flew into a parked car. Yellow-eyes grabbed his throat. "Stop!" I yelled. The demon looked at me and winked before throwing Trevor against a car and laughed as he walked away. My eyes were having trouble focusing. I watched Trevor get up and he looked at me. I shook my head and looked back at my dog, closing the distance between us. I touched him and he let out a whine. Relief filled me that he wasn't dead but he was terribly wounded. I stroked him, telling him he would be okay. I looked behind me and Trevor was running toward us. "Get the car!" I yelled to him. "Cooper's hurt really bad!"

He stopped and turned around, running back the way he had come. It didn't take long for the headlights to spot us and Trevor screeched to a halt next to us. He scooped Cooper up into his arms as I clambered to my feet. I managed to get into the passenger seat as Trevor got behind the wheel.

"Are you okay?" He asked me.

"Worry about me later. Right now find the nearest E-vet." I told him.

He nodded and drove to the nearest gas station to ask directions. There was only one clinic in town and it was done through a small clinic attached to his home. We got the number and called as we drove to his home. To my relief he was waiting for us outside when we pulled into the driveway. I got out of the car and greeted the vet as Trevor got Cooper from the backseat.

"He was thrown and hit a parked car. Only he was thrown out of a second story window. He flew several yards before he made impact. He's hurt really bad you _need_ to help him." I told the vet.

"Are you all right?" He asked me.

I yelled out angrily. "Don't worry about me!" I told him. "You're a vet, please, worry about my dog." I said as Trevor came next to me.

The vet looked at Cooper before ushering us all into the clinic. He had Trevor take him right to the back and place him on an examining table. The vet, Dr. Nelson, kindly asked me to stay in the waiting room. I argued with him but there was nothing I could do. If it would help Cooper then I would wait. Trevor was with him. That would have to be enough for now.

"Dean…" I said when he had answered the phone.

"Baby…what is it?" He asked.

"He threw Cooper." I said as tears streamed down my face. "He just threw him, Dean, like a rag doll."

"Is he okay?" Dean asked. Of all the people who would care about my dog Dean was him, him and Sam. Even if the man and dog weren't the closest these days.

"I don't know. He's with the vet now. He doesn't look good though. He can hardly move." I told him.

"He'll be okay." He told me softly. "He's a tough dog. He'll make it through." There was a long pause before he cautiously asked, "Are you okay?"

"I don't know." I told him. "He threw me too. Though not as far. He just wanted me to remember that he can still hurt me."

"Are you hurt?"

"I don't know, probably. Right now I'm not worrying about me, I need to focus on Cooper."

"No, you need to get yourself looked at. Where's Trevor?" He asked.

"He's with Cooper and the vet. I'll be okay. I can't leave my dog. You know I can't." I told him.

"Just…stay on the phone with me until they come out." Dean said softly.

"Okay." I nodded and my waiting began.

It was several hours before anyone came out from the back of the clinic. My phone was still to my ear. I told Dean I'd call him back as I got to my feet. It was Trevor and he was gowned, there was blood smeared down the front of it. Tears immediately sprung to my eyes as I stood and faced him. I crossed my arms and avoided making eye contact. I cleared my throat and waited for him to tell me the worst.

"He made it through surgery." He told me. "I had to help Dr. Nelson since he was lacking any assistance. Cooper had a lot of internal injuries but the Doc managed to fix them. Though there is no guarantee that he'll make it through the night. The next twenty-four hours are critical." He finished.

I nodded and looked at him. "Thank you." I said, barely above a whisper.

He smiled and put his hand on my cheek. "Now it's your turn." He stated as he pulled the gown off and went to the back.

Dr. Nelson said he'd stay with Cooper and call us if anything happened. He allowed me a few moments with him before we left. The hospital was easier to find and I walked through the doors barely able to stand. I woke up some time later, beeping in my ears. I rolled my eyes and sat up. I felt pretty good. Trevor was sleeping in a chair next to the bed and I gently nudged him. He woke up and smiled at me.

"Hi." I smiled back.

"Hi. How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Fine, actually." I told him.

"They said you were dehydrated and fractured your arm but it just needs a splint and you'll be back to normal. Other then some scrapes and bruises of course." He told me.

"Yeah, well, lucky me then. If you get the doctor I'll have him get going on my discharge papers." I told him.

"Evy, you need to rest." He told me.

"How's Cooper?" I asked him.

"So far he's doing well. Still not moving around but he's breathing and the vet figures that's a good sign."

"He's a fighter." I stated. "It was too close though."

"Too close indeed." A voice said from the doorway.

"Get out." I said as my heart threatened to beat out of my chest.

"Now, is that any way to talk to a friend?" He grinned.

"Who are you?" Trevor asked defensively.

"He's no one." I said quickly. My eyes locked onto the yellow ones before me.

"We both know that's not true." He stated.

I pulled back the covers and tore the IV from my hand as I got out of bed. "Leave…now."

"Evy…" Trevor said looking at me.

"He's dangerous is what he is." I told him.

"Yes, but I left this man alone. You have to give me credit for that." Yellow-eyes grinned.

"I won't say it again." I told him.

"Get out." Trevor said stepping in front of me.

Yellow-eyes laughed and in the blink of an eye grabbed Trevor by the throat. "I think it's funny that you keep showing up with these men and they all seem to have some kind of devotion for you. Dean, Sam, John…and now this one. Trevor, right?" He said looking at me.

"Put him down." I said threateningly.

"Okay." He said and threw him against the wall. "Good luck with your mutt." He smiled and was gone.

I turned to Trevor and helped him to his feet. "Are you okay?" I asked him.

"Who the hell was that?" He asked me with a hint of fear in his voice.

"He's the bad guy." I told him.

"His eyes were…"

"Yellow, I know." I said and looked at his neck.

"He's strong." He said and looked at me. "And you've been keeping something from me."

"Yes, but now is not the time to explain it." I told him as I found my clothes. "I will tell you everything but just so you know…I am sorry that I brought you into this. It was selfish and stupid of me. But I refuse to let anything happen to you, so for now I'll stay with you until Cooper is ready to travel and then I'm going to leave. No questions asked." I said before closing the bathroom door behind me.

As soon as I was ready we were in the car again. Cooper was waiting for me. While we drove I explained to Trevor the danger I had put him in and the man who had just thrown him across a room. I hated to tell him. I didn't want to know what he would say. It would be best if he didn't believe me but I knew that that wouldn't be the case. Before, I had no allegiance to him. Now he had seen too much and I owed him the truth, so I gave it to him. He didn't say a word whilst I talked and when I was done he just nodded and remained silent. It seemed that I had made better friends with him then I had thought and now I was going to pay for that. I just hoped it would be my life and no one else's.


	26. He's Not My Dog

_**Chapter twenty-six: He's Not My Dog**_

The car was quiet. Trevor hadn't said a word to me since I told him what we were up against. I couldn't blame him. He was kind enough to bring me to and from the vet clinic to visit Cooper but other then that he kept his distance. I wasn't sure if he was really mad at me or if he was just still trying to wrap his head around what I had told him. Part of me thought he didn't believe me but after what he saw I also knew that he couldn't ignore it.

"So…I'll be out in a few minutes." I told him softly when he parked at the vet clinics. This had been our routine over the past few weeks. Cooper had innards and bones that needed time to heal. Instead of taking a casted dog home I opted to pay the extra amount to keep him in the clinic.

"Take your time." He said, avoiding my eyes.

"Trevor, we're eventually going to have to talk about this." I told him.

"Go see to your dog." He said looking at me coldly.

I nodded and got out. He was angry at me. I wasn't going to argue with him just yet. I walked into the clinic and smiled at the receptionist, "Morning Angie."

"Morning Evy." Angie smiled back.

"How's the boy?" I asked her walking up to the desk.

"He's doing much better. He walked by himself outside this morning. That's a good sign." She smiled.

I sighed with relief, followed by a deep breath. I let it out slowly. "That's a very good sign." I grinned at her.

"Can't wait to see what he does when he sees you." She grinned back. "Come on." She said waving me toward the back.

"Thanks." I smiled and rushed after her. I was eager to see my dog. He was healing well and I was anxious to take him home, even if that was to a hotel room. "Dr. Nelson, hi." I said as he came from his office.

"Evy." He smiled giving me a short hug. "Here to see your boy?" He asked.

"Of course I am." I smiled. "I hear he's doing well?"

"He is. He improves more and more every day." He told me.

"I see he's not up here any more." I stated looking at the cages.

"He's improved enough to move him to a run in the back. He's able to walk now and appears to have a lot of his movement back."

"That's good, that's _really_ good." I grinned at him.

"Ready to see him?" Dr. Nelson grinned.

"You have no idea." I replied.

He led me the short way to the Dog Ward. I could hear Cooper barking before I made it through the door. He opened the door and I immediately went to the first run where my dog was frantically clawing at the door.

"Hey baby!" I said as I opened the door. Cooper came running out, his body pressing against my legs. I rubbed his body down, touching every part of him that I could. Not having him constantly with me was like leaving part of myself somewhere else. I missed him, more then ever since Trevor and I weren't on speaking terms. "You're such a good boy. You look so good." I told him, kneeling in front of him. He leaned into me and I put my arms around him. "You're such a good boy. You're such a good dog." I told him, kissing his head. "When do you think he can go home? He's looking pretty good."

"I think now's a good a time as ever." Dr. Nelson smiled.

"Are you sure?" I asked looking up at him. He nodded. "Thank you!" I said getting to my feet, hugging him. "Thank you so much for all you've done for him."

"You're welcome. He's a wonderful dog. The staff will be heartbroken to see him leave." He told me.

"I'll send pictures." I laughed.

I couldn't have been happier as I walked out the door with my dog. His limbs were healed and he was leak free on the inside. Trevor got out of the car and Cooper ran to him, licking Trevor's hands as he tried to pet him. I laughed and stroked Cooper's head as he sat at my side.

"I get to take him home." I smiled at him.

"I can see that." Trevor said with a small smile before getting back into the car.

I sighed and smiled at my dog before loading him into the back seat. I got into the front and looked at Trevor. He kept his eyes in front of him and pulled the car from the parking lot. The quietness seemed to intensify as we drove back to the hotel. When we got to the room Trevor turned on the TV and sat at the table. He was watching the weather and I was about to just let him but couldn't take the silence anymore.

"Trevor, we need to talk." I told him. He didn't say anything. "You can't just give me the silent treatment. I tell you what's out there and you just treat me like I'm not here. You have to have questions. You have to want to know more then what I've already told you. You have –"

"I have to what?" I yelled and stood up. "I have to look at you and ask you about the _demons_ that are out there? No, I don't think so. You have your dog. You can pack your bags any time you want." He told me.

"Since when did you become so angry?" I shot at him.

"When you lied to me and dragged me into something I had no control over. Did you even think of me when you put me in the middle of you and some yellow-eyed freak?" He shot back at me.

I looked at him, slightly shocked by his words. "No…I didn't. All I knew is that I needed a friend and you were it." I replied.

He looked at me with such anger but he didn't say anything right away. "Just go back to Dean and get it over with. You're going to end up there anyway." He told me harshly.

"What does he have to do with anything?" I yelled at him. "This has nothing to do with him!"

"This has everything to do with him!" He yelled back, getting in my face. "You left him because he cheated on you and then you met me and because you didn't have your precious men you dragged me into a world I didn't want to know existed. Then I am nearly killed by a demon that you seem to have an intimate relationship with."

"He is nothing more to me then the bad guy." I told him.

"Even enemies share feelings." He stated.

"You have no idea what you're talking about." I said coldly. "I've tried to explain but apparently you haven't been listening. He's the end. He's the end to everything that I know. He nearly killed Cooper and he was going to kill you. I didn't want to bring you into this and I was so selfish by doing so but I did it anyway and now you're stuck with me. At least until I know you're safe."

"How are you going to make me safe?" He yelled. "How, Evy? How?"

"I don't know!" I yelled back.

"Ugh!" He yelled and threw up his arms.

"Trev!" I yelled as he turned away from me. "I'm sorry, okay? I am so sorry!"

"That's not exactly enough now is it?" He yelled turning back to me. "While you've been visiting your dog I've been doing a little research of my own. Looking into everything you told me. To be honest with you, I'm scared shitless now that I know everything that I thought wasn't real really is. What did you expect me to do with this information? Be in awe? Well I'm not. I don't want to be a part of this." He said sadly.

"I've said I'm sorry, what more do you want me to say." He just looked at me. I was going to say something else but something on the news caught my eye.

"Evy, look –"

"Sh." I said shortly.

"Hey." He frowned.

"Quiet." I frowned back.

He glared but he just crossed his arms. I looked back at the TV and listened to what the announcer was saying. "Something new has just been added to our reports tonight. We do not know much but there have been several reports that have come in about dog attacks in Maynard, Connecticut. There have been three deaths that are related to the dog sightings but no witnesses that directly link the two. Officials have given warnings to the surrounding area to report any dog sightings and to stay indoors if at all possible during the night hours. Our next story…"

I shut the TV off and turned to my things. I started putting everything in my bag as fast as possible. Cooper seemed to understand what I was doing and sat patiently by the door. Trevor watched me with a deep frown on his face. I ignored him, not feeling the need to talk to him any more then I needed to. He didn't say a word until I was shouldering my bag.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Leaving." I told him. "I've got work to do." He just looked at me. I sighed. "There is reason to believe that those dog attacks may be right up my alley. It might be or it might not. Either way I'm going. You'll never see me again."

"Evy…" Trevor said walking toward me.

"No, Trev, it's fine. After all, you just told me to go." I told him as I opened the door. Cooper went out the door. "I'll call you in a few days." I smiled and closed the door behind me.

I took a deep breath as I briskly walked from the building. I found the car furthest in the shadows and wired it to start. It took all of five minutes to get in and get out of the parking lot. Dean had taught me all too well. I sped down the road and away from Trevor, hoping that if I got out now it would save him from any other harm. Yellow-eyes would have no reason to pursue him. Cooper sat in the passenger seat, panting, his tongue lolling out of his mouth. I smiled at him and buried my fingers in the fur on his neck.

* * *

Cooper walked ahead of me. His nose was continuously checking the ground. He had caught wind of what I hoped to be what we were looking for. The more people we talked to the more certain I became that this was something supernatural. All the reports were of a large black dog. I knew enough about them to know that I should use caution. John had taught me well but even he didn't know everything. Black dogs were seen as a sign of death. A string of bodies being left behind them. They were usually slashed to ribbons. No one ever saw the dog for long. Growling and the such but never more than glimpses.

"Hurry up buddy." I told Cooper as I followed closely behind him, my gun at the ready, silver bullets loaded.

There was a growl and Cooper froze. It quickly grew quiet but Cooper lowered his head and started to trot forward. I followed him walking briskly to keep time with him without looking like something was wrong. We rounded a corner into an alley and Cooper started growling too loudly for it to be just a warning. Another growl erupted from the darkness and slowly there appeared a large black dog. It had its teeth bared, my dog doing the same. I quickly raised my gun and aimed at the dog. Before I could get a shot off Cooper lunged at it and soon the two were tussling. I rolled my eyes and watched them, my gun still ready to make the shot. The noise was going to start attracting attention. A moment later the fight stopped and Cooper trotted back up to me. He looked behind him but then up at me, licking his chops. There was red staining his muzzle. I smiled and pulled lightly on his ear as we headed back down the road. He immediately put his nose to the ground and started to search for the scent. Another thing about Black Dogs was their ability to disappear into thin air.

"Home again…" I said as I closed to door to the motel room. "We really need to settle down someday. Find some fantastic guy who can take us away from all of this. One who doesn't know what's out there. One that we can be happy with and just live our lives." I fell backward onto the bed and Cooper jumped up and laid next to me. He rested his head on my arm and let out a small groan. I just looked at him and kissed his head. "Come on mister. We need to clean that blood off your face."

I washed him clean and slept a few hours before going back out on the town. The dog would have to show up sometime and we'd be ready. As ready as we could be. Though Cooper and I would have to come to some kind of agreement about who makes the first move. I can't kill the dog if my dog is intertwined with it.

"So like I told you before. Don't charge until I tell you to." I told him as we walked. He snorted and looked up at me. "Don't take the tone with me, mister." I told him. He snorted and let loose a short high pitched bark. I sighed heavily. "Maybe I'm finally starting to lose my mind. I talk to you and you actually attempt to talk back. Either I'm losing my mind or you are." I said when he snorted again. "Yup, losing my mind." I repeated and grinned down at him. He whined and briefly licked my hand. "Yeah, love you too."

We walked through the streets, moving through alleys as we weaved through the streets. There was very little activity as we walked. When the sun started a line on the horizon I sighed and watched it for a short while, knowing that I wouldn't find the dog anymore today. It was unlikely that it would show during daylight but as soon as night falls it would come. I was tired and now was the time to sleep to stay fresh for a night of hunting. Though it was odd. The last time I was on my own I was confident like this, though with that confidence there had also been fear. Fear of being alone, fear of not being able to handle it myself. But this time there was no fear, just confidence in getting the job done. I was proud of myself but I also knew that there was only one thing that was different this time. I had Cooper with me. He gave me all the strength I needed to get things done. I looked at him and shrugged, "Hmph." He just looked at me before settling down on the bed. I opened my bag and took out my laptop, bringing up the internet. I opened up my email to see a string of emails from Dean. A pit fell in my stomach as I looked at them all. I hadn't realized I hadn't checked it in a while. I hadn't called him in weeks and I could only imagine how worried he was, or maybe that was just my delusion of how I thought he felt about me. A twinge of guilt filled me as I looked at the dates they were sent. Once a day for nearly a month, sometimes twice. I opened up the latest one.

I'm sorry. Stay safe. I love you.

That's all it said. Seven words that cut deep enough to make tears form in my eyes. I could only imagine what the others said. I opened them up one by one, reading each one carefully. Each one causing more pain then the other.

I didn't mean to hurt you. I would never do that…It meant nothing…Please tell me that you're all right…Sam misses you. He's moping around like a sad puppy…It was a long time ago. She means nothing to me. It was just a way of saying goodbye…I even kinda miss Cooper…Just please call me…I miss you...Come home…

They were all similar. In the beginning they were apologetic. In the middle he made small talk. In the end he was pleading. Dean never pleaded. He didn't unless he felt so strongly about whatever it was. Made me wonder if he really meant everything he put in those emails. Made me want to run home and be with him. Trevor was right that I would end up back with him at some point. There was no denying that. I couldn't stay away from him forever and I knew that at some point our paths would cross again. But for now, even after reading his words, I still felt like he hadn't been hurt enough. He didn't understand what it was like to see them in bed together. Knowing what it was like to be with him. Knowing what it _felt _like. I read and reread his emails. Trying to be as close to him as I could. I got out my phone and opened it. I found Dean's number and just looked at it. I needed to do something. I needed to get out. I now needed to keep my mind off of Dean. I had been tired but no more. But before I did anything I sent a text. I had to ease his pain in some way. Even though some may say he didn't deserve it. I took a deep breath and typed in the letters, 'Doin' fine' before pocketing my phone and leaving the room. Cooper trotted ahead of me, excited to be going outside again. He was easy to please. I held his tennis ball in my hand, tossing it up into the air and catching it as we walked. This only tormented my dog as he barked, trying to grab it out of the air. I snickered at him and continued to taunt him. I had seen a park across town and drove over to see mist still moving across the dew wet grass. It was too early to be out and about but that wasn't unusual. I found a bench and threw the ball as far as I could, Cooper dashing after it. I had hoped the fresh air and the activity would draw my mind away from Dean but it seemed like he was all I could think about. As much as I wished him out of my mind he was the only face I could see. I didn't want to call him but there was one person I hadn't talked to in a while. Someone who might be able to take my mind off of Dean. Though the last time I had talked to him it hadn't been on the best of terms.

"Hey." I smiled into the phone.

"Evy…" He said coolly.

I sighed and shut my eyes. "I'm sorry, John. About how I left things last time." I told him sadly.

"It's fine." He told me.

It was his turn to be cold this time. "Have I said I'm sorry?" I asked with a hopeful tone.

"I don't have time for these childish games. I've played my part." He told me.

That hit hard. "Sure John." I said and hung up the phone. I shook my head and threw the ball as hard as physically possible. Cooper ran after it and I slumped back against the bench. A moment later my phone rang. I looked at John's picture smiling up at me. I flipped it open and put it to my ear.

"You didn't let me finish." John told me.

"There is nothing to finish." I told him. "Why did you call back? You were pretty clear with what you said."

"Just because these games are getting old doesn't mean I love you less." He told me.

"You're a bastard, John." I told him coldly. "I'm sorry that I'm such a damn disappointment but life is a lot harder these days."

"Was it ever easy?" He asked.

"Yes, before I knew you." I stated coldly. "Ever since I met your family life has been anything but easy. Only I can't turn away from you or your sons. As much as I want to I can't abandon you completely. All I think about are you _damn _Winchesters and the life you put me in. I'm ready to settle down but there is no hope of that. The only settling I will get is when I'm dead. Though with my luck that will be sooner rather then later."

"Evy…"

"I called because I wanted to talk to a friend. I wanted to talk to a man that means the world to me just to talk to him about how he is, tell him how I am. Talk about trivial things because that's what I need right now." I said and paused. I gave a short laugh before shaking my head. "Now I'm wondering why the hell I called you." I told him harshly. "You're all about the job. You're constantly thinking about the job. You may worry about your boys and you may worry about me, but it's still all about the job. And in case you were wondering, I'm fine. I'm on a job at the moment but don't worry, I can handle it. I'm on my own with my dog. So everything is perfect. Just the way it should be." I finished and he didn't say anything. "That's what I thought. I'll talk to you later." I said and hung up the phone, shutting it off just to be on the safe side. Cooper was sitting in front of me, his ball in his mouth. "That didn't go exactly the way I had planned." I told him. He just cocked his head and dropped the ball in my lap. I smiled and tossed it across the grass.

* * *

I woke up just at the sun was going down. I showered and geared up, cleaning my guns before heading out. I wasn't exactly sure how to kill it but I'd try bullets first. I didn't want to have to get close to it unless I had to. I kept to the shadows as I walked through the streets. People were around here and there but there were very few that were of much worry. I had to deal with a few drunken men but other then that nearly the entire night went off without as much as a growl from the shadows. It wasn't just that but Cooper showed no signs of edginess or even the hint that he had the scent of the dog. We either weren't in the right area or the dog just hadn't shown up yet. It was getting ridiculous. I was getting bored and that would mean my guard would go down and that would leave me vulnerable. I kept my guard up as I thought about it but in the end I lowered my gun, flipping on the safety. I could hit the button quickly enough if I had to use it but for now there was nothing. Nothing at all. I moaned, and shuffled my feet. Cooper circled me, whining.

"I'm bored. I don't want to keep walking so fast if there is nothing to see." I told him. He snorted as he shook his head. "You don't even have it's scent. What am I supposed to do? I don't have your nose. You're the one leading this." I told him as I stopped walking. He just looked at me and cocked his head, his tail lightly wagging. "You're adorable you know that?" I asked as I squatted in front of him. "You're the best German shepherd there is."

The words were barely out when he bared his teeth with a growl and out of the shadows of the alley the Black Dog appeared. It knocked me down as it snapped at Cooper. He jumped back giving the demon dog enough time to grab my ankle and drag me into the shadows. My gun was lying in the street. I tried kicking the dog off of me but there was nothing I could do. It bit my ankle before jumping on top of my torso, knocking the air out of me. I was dazed but managed to put up my arm as it aimed for my neck. I screamed in pain as the dog bit down on my arm. I could hear the bones crack. Only then it was knocked off of me as Cooper's growl filled my ears. The two tussled but Cooper cried and the next thing I knew the dog was on top of me. It clawed at my abdomen as it tried to bite my neck again. It hurt like hell, the pain almost too much. Cooper was on top of it again, gnawing on the back of its neck. The black dog let me go and I quickly got to my feet. Making a run for it. I called Cooper as soon I was out of the alley and moments later he was at my side. Thanks to adrenaline I was able to run full out, even though I was sure my ankle shouldn't be running. I could hear the snarling behind us. Cooper whined and pushed himself faster, barking at me to keep up with him. I did my best but the adrenaline wasn't strong enough to kill the pain and the pain was immense. We had only gone a few blocks when my leg just didn't want to go any further. It gave out and I tripped, rolling several feet before finally stopping. I managed to keep hold of my gun this time, flipping the safety off as I turned toward the dog I knew was right behind me. I shot at it but it seemed to have no affect on the beast. It launched itself at me, coming down hard with its feet on both sides of me. I put my gun to its belly and pulled the trigger. It cried in pain and disappeared only to reappear only a few feet from me. It grabbed the gun from my hand, throwing it behind itself. It wasn't looking good. Cooper made another attempt to defeat the dog but it was much larger then him and he was no match for a demon dog. The beast grabbed Cooper by the scruff and tossed him, shaking the loose hair from his mouth afterward. It looked at me, saliva dripping from its canines as it bared its teeth at me. I covered my face as it leapt but a shot rang out and it fell back. Two more shots were heard as I watched it run down the road. I was shocked. I turned to look at my savior only to be shocked again.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him angrily.

"What do you think I'm doing?" Trevor asked annoyed.

"I have no idea!" I yelled at him as he helped me to my feet. "You're not supposed to be here. I left you to protect you. You're not supposed to follow me!" I said hitting his arm.

"Yeah, well it's a good thing I did!" He yelled back.

"I don't need your help!" I yelled, getting in his face. "I've dealt with way worse than this boy! I've died twice!"

"What the hell's the matter with you?" He yelled getting even closer to my face. "I drove all this way, thinking I'm helping you and all I get is trouble!"

"I didn't _ask_ you to help me!"

"I didn't _ask_ to know what I know, but that's not changing anything is it?"

"Stop…yelling at me!" I said trying to tower over him but he was too tall for me, and my ankle yelled back at me.

"Then stop yelling at me!" He said doing the towering.

"Fine." I said calmer, crossing my arms. I took a step back from him, frowning. "Now, are you going to tell me what you're doing here, or not?"

He frowned at me. "I am here to help." She said emphasizing each word.

"Since when do you want to help?" I asked him. "When I left you, you were yelling at me because I got you into this. Now you want to join up?"

"It didn't take long after you left for me to decide that as much as I hate you for dragging me into this I wasn't going to let you die just because I was being an ass." He replied.

"You should keep hating me. I wouldn't have died." I told him. "Remember, I have done this before. More then you think."

"I don't even want to think about how many times you've done this. I'm just not looking to go to a funeral." He replied.

"You know, I think Yellow-eyes was right. Me and my damn frickin men." I told him with narrowed eyes.

"Siding with a demon?" He asked.

"Every now and then they tend to be right. I'm a magnet for half decent men and then I get them killed." I told him.

"I'm not going to die." He frowned.

"You won't have a say in it. They'll kill you and they'll be happy about it." I told him sadly. "In fact, we should move. The dog won't take mercy on us when it comes back."

Trevor got a worried look on his face. "Do you think it'll come back?"

"I really do." I told him as a growl erupted behind him. "It's time to run."

"You're hurt." He told me, though his face turned a shade paler as the growl caught his ears.

"Yes, but I'm anything but weak and if we don't run now he'll be on your back." I said and grabbed his hand.

The chase was on. There was no way of out running it but I wasn't going to stand by and let it kill us. My ankle was once again throbbing but I tried focusing on my breathing and running, hoping it would be enough to keep me on my feet. Trevor was just ahead of me as we ran, Cooper ahead of him. I could hear the dog closing in. Fear crept into me and I saw Cooper turn and dart behind me. I turned my head and saw him tackle the beast. I stopped and my ankle felt like it was tearing apart. I fell to my knees and watched as Cooper fought him. It wasn't going well. There was a spurt of blood as Cooper cried. My breath caught in my throat. Cooper had just gotten healed! Though, the next moment the black dog cried in agony and caught fire, burning as it was sent back to Hell. I furrowed my brows as I stared at the spot where the dog disappeared.

"Cooper…" I called and he ran to me. "Hold still." I told him as he sat in front of me. I looked him over. There was a long laceration along his shoulder. It was still bleeding but it was already starting to clot. That was promising. "Alright, buddy, we need to get you looked at." I told him as I picked him up into my arms.

"I'll do that." Trevor said taking the dog from my arms.

"What do you think I would do if you weren't here?" I asked him.

"You would've carried him yourself but it's not just your ankle that's hurt." He stated.

"Yes, my arm is broken and I have my own lacerations to deal with." I told him. "So I guess it's a double trip to the ER again." I sighed as I looked at the blue 'H' sign attached to the street light.

"I'll find the nearest vet clinic." Trevor told me.

"I'll be at the hospital." I told him.

He nodded and we went our separate ways. I didn't want to leave Cooper with anyone but myself but I had my own worries to deal with. I looked at myself and realized that I was probably a little more injured then I had realized. I blamed the adrenaline. The slashes were oozing but had mostly stopped bleeding. It was my arm and ankle I was worried about. I didn't want to worry about my ankle but a casted arm was no problem.

* * *

"Should I yell at you again?" I asked Trevor as he drove me to the vet clinic.

"I think we've yelled at each other enough. Don't you think?" He replied.

"I don't know." I replied. I caught him looking at me several times. I glowered at him. "What?"

"Don't you think that you should have stayed in the hospital? For just a couple of days, like the doctor wanted?" He asked.

"I'm not one to stay in the hospital. I hate hospitals. Despise them really. I got a cast on my arm and am thanking the lucky stars that my ankle will heal if I just take care of it. So there was no reason for me to stay. Besides, I don't want to be away from my dog for too long." I told him.

"I still think you should have stayed." He stated.

"You're sure the vet said he'd be okay to go home?" I asked, changing the subject.

He sighed, "Yes."

"Okay. It was just a laceration. I don't know why I'm so worried about him. It wasn't so bad." I replied, mostly to myself.

As always, I was greeted by an over enthused dog and I was once again at a fork in the road. I had left and he had followed. That didn't bode well for how I was going to escape him this time. I couldn't take him with me. It was too risky and I had had my epiphany when it came to dragging people into my life. I knew that I had to let him go but I had made ties with another person. There were getting to be too many people out there who knew me and knew what I did. Too many who were eager to help.

"So, I'll be leaving again in the morning." I stated.

"Where are we going?" Trevor asked.

"Don't fight with me on this." I told him sternly. "You can't come with me. I mean it. It's safer that way."

"I had my peace with this whole thing. I can help." He replied.

"No." I said shaking my head. "I appreciate everything that you have done but I will be going my own way. That's just the way it has to be." He just looked at me. "Everything will be okay. Just go do whatever it was that you were going to do before you met me. I'll be all right and you have my number if anything should happen." I told him softly. He nodded. "Thank you."

"Yeah, sure." He replied.

"You're saying that like you're going to defy me." I stated.

"I understand but you can't control me." He replied.

"Don't make me hurt you." I said narrowing my eyes.

He laughed. "I'll do what you want. Only so you don't hate me."

"I couldn't hate you." I told him, a smile flickering across my face. "Just don't cross me on this. Just this one thing. I want you to live long enough to have a family and all that."

"I will." He smiled.

"Good." I said hugging him tightly.

By morning I was packed and ready, leaving before Trevor even woke up. Cooper was bandaged and ready for the car ride. There was just one thing that was boggling my mind. I didn't destroy the black dog. Someone else had. I didn't like not knowing. But I was going to find out.


	27. Dean

**Disclaimer: Nothing you recognize from Supernatural belong to me. Everything else came from my imagination.**

**A/N: Here is the next chapter. Due to the extremely low amount of reviews I'm not sure if anyone likes this story but I'm putting it on here anyway. A review or two would be most reassuring. It appears that people read it but it's very unclear if anyone likes it. If you could review I would really really REALLY appreciate it.**

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* * *

**_**Chapter Twenty-seven: Dean**_

He stood and watched as the blond helped her up. He could only assume that it was Trevor. He crossed his arms and listened to his brother sigh from next to him. They'd been standing there watching the two of them since they had finished. He wanted to rush to her, to help her, carry her to the hospital if that's what it took. She was hurt but he couldn't go to her. She needed him but she wouldn't let him. He wanted a lot of things but the thing he wanted most was the woman he was watching now. He wanted to feel her touch. He wanted to feel her hand wrap around his. Her body fitting perfecting against him, her lips against his…he had to clench his jaw to keep himself in control. It wasn't just the things that he wanted. There were things he regretted. The thing he regretted most was answering the phone when Cassie had called him. He wished that she had found someone else to help her. She didn't need him, especially after their history. He had ruined the best thing he had because he slept with her. Evy hated him because of what he did. He couldn't begin to express to her how sorry he was. But seeing her now made him want to rush out to her. Made him want to take her into his arms and tell her how much he loved her. If all of this told him anything it was how much he loved her. She didn't know the depths of his love and it was even new to him. He was only safe in his thoughts and there alone could he feel everything he wanted. He loved her…he _wanted _her and her alone. It was unlike him. He wasn't afraid of sleeping around until he had met her. It made him almost angry at her but it wasn't at her, it was at himself. Love was a stupid emotion and he hated it. Hated it because he felt it so strongly.

"We should go."

"I should be there, not him."

"He'll take care of her."

"I should be taking care of her, Sammy." He said looking at his brother.

"She'll be okay." Sam told him.

"It's not right." He said turning away, going down the alley.

"Dean…" Sam said following his brother.

"This is crap!" Dean said turning toward him. "We shouldn't be hiding in the shadows. I should just go to her."

"No, Dean. We did what we came here to do." He told him. "And to not interfere."

"Yeah, but we should still be with her, not hiding." He replied.

"You're the one who wanted to abide by her wishes." Sam told him.

"Yeah, but I'm jealous as hell!" Dean replied. "What does he really want?"

"He wants to help." Sam replied.

Dean looked at him and thought a moment. "No, I'm going to her." He said briskly walking from the alley.

"No!" Sam said grabbing his arm. "You need to give her time."

"I can't!" Dean told him. "She needs to face me at some point."

"She'll find you when she's ready." Sam told him calmly.

Dean stopped and just looked at his brother. He looked at the ground and nodded. "Yeah."

He looked at Sam before walking back toward the car. He was angry. Angry at his brother for making sense, angry at her for needing so much time, angry at himself for letting it happen. He knew that she needed time. It was her fault that she needed time, but did she need so much of it? What was taking her so long to forgive him? What did this _Trevor_ mean to her? They were fighting, but what were they fighting about? And surprisingly, was Cooper okay?

* * *

He woke from another nightmare. The stupid things had been plaguing him over the last few weeks. All of them included Evy and she was always in trouble. Not that that wasn't unusual but in his dreams he was always too late. He was never able to save her. He splashed cold water on his face and neck before going back out into the main room. Sam was still asleep. He left the room and flipped open his phone. He looked through the pictures, so many of them had her in them. The moments of happiness that seemed to come so infrequently these days. Now more then ever. It had been months since he'd seen her, before last night that is. The thought of not knowing if she was okay or not. Not knowing what trouble she was running into. Not knowing the people she would meet. He knew that Trevor had been with her for a while. Longer then he wanted. But he also knew that she wouldn't cheat. Even though he had cheated she wouldn't. It wasn't in her to. He knew that…he knew her.

He was looking at her picture, drifting off into his memory when it rang. He jumped before looking at the number. "Hello?" He asked answering it.

"Is this Michael Dobbs?" A woman asked.

He frowned but answered, "Yes?"

"My name is Teresa. I'm calling from Maynard Memorial in Connecticut regarding Marilee Dobbs. She was admitted last night after a dog attack and when we put her insurance through we found your name and to call if there was ever any problem." The woman told him. "We're calling to inform you that she isn't in critical condition but she did suffer several minor injuries. Did you want us to let her know that you're on your way?" She asked.

Dean didn't know what to say. "Uh…no. No, thank you for calling but if she's all right I am currently unable to rush to Connecticut. I'm in New York at the moment and am just about to go into a meeting."

"Oh, all right. Would you like me to tell her that we contacted you?"

"No, I'd rather not. We had a bit of a falling out. But, again, thank you for the call."

"All right, sir. Have nice day." She told him.

"You too." He said and hung up the phone.

He held the phone to his lips and closed his eyes. _As least it wasn't critical._ He thought. He stood and walked down to the Little Store on the corner. He bought some coffee and headed back to the room. It wasn't just Evy he was worried about. He was also worried about his brother. He had seen Evy and the dog. Evy was coming out on the losing end. There was no sitting this one out. He had to do something. He wasn't going to ignore what Sam saw. He could do what Evy could, even though there was no explaining it. They had left immediately and had gotten there the morning before the attack. They had found the source of the dog. It was a witch that was buried in an unmarked grave on a hill top in the cemetery, under the largest tree on the grounds. No doubt where she was hung from and then buried. The dog was protecting her. The victims didn't shed any light onto why they were chosen but it didn't matter. All that mattered was that they stopped it before it got Evy, and they had. She was all right because of what Sam had seen. That was enough for him. But he needed to talk to Sam about what was happening.

"Hey." Sam said when Dean walked through the door.

"Hey." Dean replied and handed him a cup of coffee.

"Everything okay?" He asked.

"Sure, Sammy." Dean smiled. "I'm ready to talk if you are."

"About?" Sam asked.

"About what you saw." Dean told him. "About what this means. How long has it been going on?"

"Long enough. The one with Evy in it was the one that was the most vivid. The most vivid and the longest. The others are short and choppy. Evy's probably was too in the beginning." He replied.

"What else have you seen?" Dean asked him.

Sam told him everything he knew but there wasn't a lot to say. He had thought they were just dreams. Just vivid dreams that seemed to come true from time to time. Dean sat and listened to him and if they hadn't known Evy then it would have sounded completely crazy but now it seemed to make sense. Only the sense of it was that Sam and Evy were connected in some way. Some way that probably made less sense then the rest of it. When Sam was done he just nodded. He didn't know what to say and he didn't want to fight by voicing any of his concerns.

"You're not going to say anything? You're not going to yell at me or something for keeping this from you?" Sam asked. Dean shook his head. "You not saying anything says it all."

"I don't want to fight, Sammy." Dean told his brother, a smirk on his face.

"We don't have to fight. We just need to talk." He replied.

"I understand, Sam. I know how you feel. Evy can do it too. I understand it because we've spent time with her. I don't want to fight and for the moment I have the answers to all of my immediate questions." He told him. Sam didn't look convinced. "Its fine, Sam. I promise."

Sam nodded but Dean knew that he wasn't convinced. It would come up again, but for now if he could just let it go that would be ideal. He was anxious and didn't know what to do next. The job was done and now he had too much time on his hands to think. He left the room again and looked into the sun before pulling out his phone.

"Hi, I'm calling about Marilee Dobbs." He told the receptionist. "Yes, I'm Michael Dobbs. Someone called me a short while ago." He explained. "Yes, I just wanted to check on her condition." He waited while she was looked up.

"Yes, she appears to be doing fine. She has a broken arm and a heavily sprained ankle but otherwise she suffered some minor lacerations but didn't need any sutures." She told him.

"Okay, thank you." Dean told her nicely. "Do you know how long she'll be in there for?"

"I'm not sure. A few days at least." She told him.

"Okay, thank you." Dean told her and hung up the phone.

He looked back at the door but didn't want to go back in. He was torn between his brother and Evy. Torn between his duty and the woman he needed. He went in and sat on the bed, turning on the TV. Nothing was on. He was watching it but not paying any attention to it. His mind went through all of the current events but he kept coming back to the same thing, the same person. He was just about to give in and call her when his phone rang.

"Dad…" He said answering it.

"Hi son." John told him.

"What's wrong?" Dean asked.

"I got the same call that you did." He replied.

"She's fine. I just talked to the hospital. She's stuck for a few days but her biggest injury is a broken arm. I just feel sorry for the staff who's trying to keep her there." He said and smiled.

"Yeah, she doesn't like hospitals." John replied.

"No." Dean smiled. "No she doesn't." He said though his tone was sad.

"How you holding up?" John asked him.

"Honestly, I'm not." Dean smiled into the phone. "I saw her. The night the dog attacked. Sam saw the dog attacking her so we went and we stopped it. I had to make sure she was okay so we found her."

"Did you talk to her?" John asked.

"No, we watched from a distance." He replied. "I wanted to go to her but Sam wouldn't let me."

"Smart boy." John told him.

"Is that why you're calling?" Dean asked. "To ask me about Evy?"

"And to see how you were." John replied.

"We're fine. How are you? Where are you?" He asked.

"Still on the hunt." John replied.

"How close are you?" Dean asked.

"I don't know. He's slippery." John replied.

"Yeah, I bet he is." Dean replied.

"Well, I better go. Take care, son."

"You too." Dean said and hung up the phone.

It was a day for phone calls it appeared. The day ended just like it had begun and he was once again woken from yet another nightmare. He sat up and looked at Sam, he was still asleep. He took a deep breath before falling back against the pillows again. He didn't know what to do anymore. But he knew that he could no longer sit back and wait for her. He needed her with him, he needed her.


	28. Redemption

**Disclaimer: See previous chapters.**

* * *

_**Chapter Twenty-eight: Redemption**_

Driving was becoming tiring. I had been staring at the road for far too long and I knew no more then I had before. I had exhausted all of my resources. Everyone I knew didn't have any idea who had destroyed the black dog. No one knew anything. It was driving me bonkers. I couldn't get it out of my head. Someone had to know something but the ones who probably did were the ones I wasn't willing to call. Though the urge was becoming increasingly unbearable. After a few weeks I finally gave in. I'd driven across country and back again only to have done nothing then waste a bunch of gas. Though I wasn't going to call the person I should. I called the one I was still pissed at but in a tolerable way.

"John, I don't have time to make small talk. I have a simple question." I told him when he picked up. "I was in a fight with a black dog and it was destroyed but it wasn't by me. I was on the hunt but it was sent back to Hell right before my eyes and I had nothing to do with it. Do you know anything? Is there a new player out there?" I asked him.

"Hello to you too." John replied.

"Just answer my question please." I replied.

"I don't know anything." He replied.

"Nothing at all?" I asked, wishing that something would come to me.

"I don't know anything, Evy." He told me. "Is everything okay?"

"I need to know what happened." I told him. "I'll talk to you later." I said and hung up the phone. I took several deep breaths and tried shaking out my tension. It wasn't working but I knew I had to make the call. I just hoped that there was only one present. "Sam?" I asked when he answered.

"How you holding up?" Sam asked.

"I'm fine." I told him. "But I have a question for you."

"Shoot." Sam told me.

"Do you know anything about the black dog that was in Connecticut?" I asked.

"What do you want to know?" He replied.

"I want to know whatever you know. I was there and was in the middle of enjoying it tearing me apart when it suddenly was sent back to Hell and I have no idea who did it. No one I know knows anything about it so I'm resorting to you."

"You should have called me first." He replied.

"So you know something?" I asked.

"It was us." He replied.

"It was you?" I said surprised.

"Yeah, I had a vision that it was going to kill you so we stopped it." He told me.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked him.

"We didn't want to interfere." He replied. "We destroyed the dog and then we left."

"You should have shown yourselves." I told him angrily.

"What would you have done?" Sam asked. "Would you have thrown yourself into Dean's arms and made everything okay? Would you look me in the eye and tell me that you were sorry for leaving yet again?"

"I was on my way back to you when I saw what I saw." I told him, trying my best not to get defensive. "I ended up upside down in a car because of what I saw. I'm sorry, Sammy, I really am but I couldn't face Dean after what I saw him doing with her. He hurt me and I'm sorry that you ended up the innocent bystander, I really am, but I just couldn't go back to you after what he did. I'm nearly over it, I really am, I miss both of you so much but sometimes things just don't got according to plan."

"Yeah, I know." He said sadly.

"How are you?" I asked. "Are you feeling okay? Anything wrong? I know the pain sucks but it's a good thing. It really is." I told him.

"We'll see." He replied.

"It's worked out for me so far." I told him.

"Yeah, but I think when it comes to this you're a little stronger then me. That and you've been doing it a bit longer then I have." He smiled.

"I'm not stronger." I smiled. I took a deep breath and told him the words I knew both of them wanted to hear. "I want to come home." I told him.

"Are you serious?" He asked.

"More then you know." I replied.

"Where are you?" He asked.

"On the road. Where are you?" I replied.

"Maynard Connecticut." He told me.

"You're still there? Why are you still there?" I asked him.

"We were staying close. Dean didn't want to leave yet." He said softly. "Do you want me to tell him?"

"No, which hotel are you at?" I asked.

* * *

I had been sitting in the parking lot for over an hour. The car was still running and my hands were still on the steering wheel. I knew that I was going in there but I was giving myself the opportunity to run if I chickened out. I didn't want to be weak but I was going to face the man I hadn't seen in months. I didn't know what had happened in that time frame all I knew is that I wanted to be in that room with them. I wanted to be where I felt the safest and that was with the Winchesters. I just hoped that I could fully forgive him. Fully embrace him the way I wanted to. Be able to be with him the way I wanted to be. I finally shut the car off and got out. My eyes locked on the door with the number six on it. I took a deep breath and walked briskly toward the door. I knocked on the door and seconds later it opened. Sam was smiling at me but it was only half heartedly.

"Sammy…" I smiled back.

He pulled me into his arms, hugging me tight. I wrapped my arms around him, resting me head on his chest. It felt so good. I loved him so much. I had missed him more then I had realized.

"Evy…" He said kissing my hair. "It's good to see you." He smiled.

"You too." I smiled.

"What's this?" He asked raising my casted arm.

"The dog got the upper hand on me." I replied. "It won't be on too long."

"But you're okay?" He asked.

"Yeah." I smiled though realized that he was the only one in the room. "Not that I'm not thrilled to see you but a…where's Dean?" He just looked at me. "Sam?"

"I don't know." He replied.

"What do you mean you don't know?" I asked.

"He took off." He said worriedly. "I was sleeping and when I woke up he was gone."

"No reason to be worried right?" I asked him.

"I don't know." Sam replied.

"You should call him." I told him.

"You should call him." He countered.

I frowned at him but opened my phone. I pressed the speed dial and listened as the ring tone started. It hadn't rung twice when a recording came on telling me that the number was currently unavailable. I frowned and hung up the phone.

"Something's wrong." I told him.

"What?" He asked.

"His phone is disconnected." I told him.

"Come on." Sam said and we left the motel.

* * *

You always wonder what your reaction would be. The one phone call you never wanted to receive. You always wonder if you'll be strong or if you'll fall apart. If you'll call someone or if you'll try and do it alone. You always wonder what you'll be thinking on the drive. What will I do if it's worse then they think? What will I don't once I see him? What will he look like? Will I be able to face him? Will I be able to be strong enough for both of us? All this and more was going through my mind when I got the call. Maynard Memorial had a Michael Dobbs brought in but they weren't releasing anything other then his name to his immediate family. His condition was unknown thus far but they wanted me to get to the hospital as soon as I could. We were already in the car and my panic was starting to come through when we parked in front of the automatic doors. I ran from the car and through the door. The receptionist looked familiar and she seemed to recognize me. She stood as she put the phone down.

"Mrs. Dobbs, this way please." She told me.

"Thank you." I told her with red eyes.

"I'm sorry sir, but you'll have to stay here." She said turning to Sam.

"He's his brother." I told her.

She nodded and led us through the halls. I was terrified of what I was being led to. But relief was all I felt when I rounded a corner and Dean was walking toward us. His fingers were braced and he had a bandage on his temple. When he saw me his eyes were instantly damp and the look of relief on his face made the tears come that much faster. I started running just as he did. I flew down the hall into his arms. His arms tightened around me with such force that I couldn't breath. His hand moved to the back of my head as he placed his face in my neck. I cried into him. I cried so hard. It didn't matter what happened, I loved this man more then anything. I had to imagine a life without him once. I didn't want to have to do it again. He pulled me away from him, his hands on the sides of my face. He caressed my face before pulling me into him, kissing me deeply. I kissed him back passionately, putting my forehead against his.

"Hi, honey. I'm home." I told him.

He laughed and kissed me again. "I was on my way to find you." He told him still holding my head in his hands. "I was driving and this guy came out of nowhere." He said kissing me again. "Stupid idiot hit my back corner but made her flip." He said kissing me again. "I'm sorry." He said kissing me. "I am so sorry, baby."

"I am too." I said kissing him deeply. He made a small groan of pain and I released him. "Sorry." I said placing my hand on his waist, my other lightly touching the bandage. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. A few bumps and bruises but I'll be okay." He replied.

"Okay." I said and kissed him deeply. "I've missed you so much."

"Me too." He said between kisses.

"Come on, I'll take you home." I smiled at him.

He smiled back and kissed me as we started down the hall. I held tight to his hand that was over my shoulders. I held his waist with my other. He kissed my hair as we walked. Sam had stopped a ways behind us but now fell in line, a smile on his face. We were all together again and that was the way it was going to stay.

* * *

I sat at the table, my knees against my chest. It was the middle of the night but I couldn't sleep. It just wouldn't come to me. Both Dean and Sam were sound asleep in the two beds. I stirred the cup of coffee I had and watched Dean. I hoped the light wouldn't wake them and so far they hadn't moved. I couldn't place the feeling inside but I was afraid to shut my eyes. I didn't feel tired but I didn't want to. I took a sip and looked out the window. When I looked back Dean was sitting up, looking at me. The bandage was off and I could see the few stitches that had closed the laceration to his temple. I tried not to cry but I was in emotional overload. I pushed it aside and gave him the best smile I could. His expression didn't change. For the first time in a long time I couldn't read his face. I couldn't look at him and see what he was thinking. I looked down at my feet and closed my eyes. I heard the bed shift and I looked up to see him getting up.

"No," I said stopping him. "You need to rest." I told him, going to him.

"I'm fine." He told me softly.

I sighed and sat on my foot in front of him, the other on the floor. "You're not okay. You were just in a car accident. You need to recover." I told him, my eyes wet. "You're always so stubborn." I told him.

"I'm not the only one." He said moving closer to me.

"You're right. I am so stupidly stubborn that I stayed away from the one person I need more than anyone. I am so stupidly stubborn that you were going to come after me and that led to this." I told him as a tear ran down my cheeks.

He moved forward mirroring me. He ran his fingers through my hair before placing it gently on my face. "You don't get it do you?" He frowned. I just looked at him. "I will always come for you."

The tears were hotter now but I hadn't given into them yet. "You will?" I asked him, the break in my heart healing.

"I love you. No matter what happens, as long as I live, I will come for you." He told me, bringing his face toward mine. "Do you hear me?"

I nodded, tears falling, and kissed him passionately. "I love you so much." I said putting my arms around his neck. "I was so angry but I could never be without you." I told him.

"I am so sorry about what I did." He said looking at me, my head in his hands. "It didn't mean anything and I wish that you hadn't seen it. I wish that it had never happened. It meant nothing to me. Nothing could mean more to me then you."

"I know. I know that now. It just took me a while to see it." I replied.

He caressed my face and kissed me again. "I love you." He whispered sweetly into my ear.

"I've missed this so much. I've missed you." I whispered back.

"Is the sentimental moment over?" He asked me smiling.

I laughed and put my arms around him again. "The sentimental moment may be over but I think it's time for Sam to get his own room for a while." I grinned at him. "We have some catching up to do." I whispered and gently tugged on his earlobe with my teeth.

"You may be right." He told me, and I felt a small quiver run through him.

I laughed and kissed his neck. He took my waist and leaned back, moving against the headboard. He crossed his legs as I brought both of mine to either side of him. His hands gently formed around my ass as he pulled me into his lap. I smiled as I leaned against him. It had been too long since I had felt his hands on me. They were the only ones I wanted and I wanted him badly now. My body was screaming for his to take me and to take me now. His seemed to be saying the same thing as his breathing started to accelerate. I pressed myself against him as I put my forehead against his. I ran my fingers down his face but the second time I felt the stitches. My body stopped screaming and my head took over again. I kissed him gently before moving off of his lap. He sighed and turned his head to look at me. I leaned against the headboard and brought my knees up against my chest, needing to be contained. I turned my head and met his eyes. I smiled and put my hand on his face. My fingers gently touched his wound. I frowned and met his eyes again.

"You need to rest." I told him, taking my hand back.

"Are we okay?" He asked softly touching my fingers at the end of the cast.

I looked at him, bringing back all of the memories of the last time I had seen him. Remembering the pain and the hurt he had caused. "We will be." I told him gently as I cradled my arm to my chest. I didn't want to fight but I felt like one might be coming on. There were things I needed to say.

"I didn't mean for it to happen." He told me.

"Dean…" I said leaning my head back as I shut my eyes. "You said you were sorry. You did what you did and I saw it happen." I said looking at him again. "I know you are sorry. You've told me it time and time again since I left. But you have _no _idea how bad you hurt me." I told him. "I was completely broken. I was more broken then you can imagine. It was as if you were dead to me." I said, watching him cringe. "You hurt me so badly and I was so scared of being alone. I was so scared that I would never be able to face you again. Do you realize what it was like for me? Watching you _fuck_ her?" He cringed again. "Watching you press your lips against her skin? And why have you never mentioned her before?" I asked him. "What was she to you?"

"I loved her once." He told me. I didn't say anything. "It was short lived and it was a long time ago. She doesn't mean anything to me. It was just something that happened. I don't know what I was thinking."

"You were remembering what it was like before and you just couldn't help yourself." I told him, unfeelingly.

"Maybe." He told me. "Maybe you're right." He said and looked at me. "But it won't happen again. I promise."

"You promise?" I asked. "I want to believe you. I really, really do."

"But?" He asked.

"Once a cheater, always a cheater. Isn't that what they say?" I asked.

"It won't happen again." He told me again, annunciating every word.

I just looked at him. "If you want to keep me…it won't." I told him. He looked at me, surprised by my words. "I don't mean to be cruel but I'm slightly possessive and…I like to think that you're mine." I said sadly. "Rather, I _used _to think that you were mine. A better way to put it is, are you still? I love you, Dean, and I want to be with you. But I need to be able to trust you." I told him, regaining composure. "You lost my trust when you slept with her. I trust you when it comes to the job and doing what needs to be done, but when it comes to our personal life…well, I'm not as sure."

"You'll trust me again." He told me.

"Oh, honey, I know." I replied. "I know I will." I said placing my hand on his face, my thumb running along his cheekbone. "I don't want to feel that pain again. I don't want to hurt that way ever, ever again."

He nodded and took my hand from his face, squeezing it gently. A frown crossed his face and he looked at our hands. "You talk about how much I hurt you. I understand that. It was horrible and I hate myself for it. But did you ever think of how I felt during this whole thing? What I was going through when I didn't know where you were? If you were safe? If anything was after you? Do you have any idea what it did to me?" He asked.

I looked at him and shook my head, taking my hand back. "Not for a long time." I told him. "After what I saw I didn't want anything to do with you. The thought of you hurting was a happy thought at the time. You hurt me and if in some way you were hurting too…I was happy about it." He was frowning, avoiding my eyes. "How did you expect me to react?" I asked him. "What did you think I was going to do? Run back to you and it would all be all right? I don't work that way Dean. I trusted you with every part of me and you slept with another woman. Cassie, right?" I asked. He nodded. There was a long moment of silence. "It's your turn to say something." I told him.

"I don't know what to say." He told me. "I'm sorry and you know I'm sorry. I understand that I hurt you and that as a couple you don't trust me anymore. But whether you believe it or not you are everything to me and I regret nothing more then that night with that woman."

The sincerity in his voice was unmistakable. I nodded, meeting his eyes. "I believe you." I told him. "I feel the same way. I just want all the pain to stop. I love you more then anything. I love _you,_ but I thought you didn't love me anymore. Not as much as you once loved her."

"That's crap." He told me but he had a small smile on his face. "You know that's not true."

"I do. But when something like this happens one tends to question certain things." I replied.

"I know." He said taking my hand. He laced his fingers with mine and kissed the top of it. "We'll get through this, together."

"Together." I said smiling at the word.

"I'm happy you're back." He smiled at me.

"I am too. I'm also happy that you're safe." I said and gently touched his wound again. "You need to rest."

"I don't deserve to ask you this but, uh…" He said and lowered his eyes.

I looked at him and smiled. "Come here." I told him and he laid down, his torso across my lap. I cradled him in my arms and gently ran my fingers through his hair. "Go to sleep." I whispered to him, kissing his wounded temple.

"Will you be here when I wake up?" He asked.

"Of course." I whispered. "I won't leave."

"Don't ever leave me." He whispered back. "Please."

Tears ran down my cheeks as I ran my fingers across his cheek. "Never." I whispered and kissed his head.

I rested my head back against the headboard and closed my eyes, hoping that sleep would now take me.


	29. Memories

**Disclaimer: Please see previous chapters.**

**A/N: Hope you like the next couple chaters! Reviews are awesome!**

* * *

_**Chapter Twenty-nine: Memories**_

It was safe to say that things weren't going to be able to go completely back to normal. Things were a bit on the hectic side and we were all at odds with each other. Sam was angry with me and Dean was trying to make up for what he did. As for me, part of me wished that I was on my own again. Things were harder now that I was back with my men. I was so fantastically happy to be back and as much as I loved them there were three minds working on a single task, causing rifts to form. All three of us had different ways of looking at things, of doing things, and there were times that it simply didn't work.

"No! That won't work!" I yelled at Dean.

"Then what do you suggest?" He yelled back.

"We need to use the element of surprise." I told him.

"And how are we going to do that?" Sam asked. "We don't even know what it is. We don't know what it's capable of."

"Then what are _you_ suggesting?" I asked him.

"I don't know!" Sam shot at me.

We stood there in our little triangle, all with crossed arms and furrowed brows. I sighed and looked down at my dog. He cocked his head and whined softly. I smiled and pulled gently on his ear. Sam was right and Dean was right but I was also right. We were all right in our own way but our plan was flawed with several holes. Too many to close in time before it would strike again. I looked at them before going toward the door.

"Where are you going?" Dean asked.

"Out." I replied.

"Evy." Dean said shortly.

I stopped and looked at him. He didn't add anything. I gave him a small smile as Cooper went out before me. He nodded and I left. I took a deep breath of the cool air on the boardwalk. There was a strong breeze coming off of the lake but that was normal for Duluth, Minnesota. It was late fall and the weather was getting cool here. We weren't sure what we were dealing with quite yet but it seemed to me like we could all use a moment alone to think about it. Cooper had left the wooden walkway and was frolicking at the edge of the water. I watched him before dipping underneath the railing and joining him. I flexed my newly freed arm as watched my dog. I found a rock and rubbed it between my hands before tossing it into the shallow water. He leapt into the water, submerging his head before coming back with the same rock that I had thrown. I smiled and gave him a dose of positive reinforcement before throwing it again. A moment later there was someone standing next to me. I turned my head and was surprised to see a woman, not much older then me. She smiled but there was something about her. I knew something was wrong when Cooper came back with the rock but dropped it and quickly put himself between me and her, a growl erupting from him.

"I take it you're the reason we're here." I stated looking out at the water.

"I appear to have attracted too much attention to myself." She replied.

"Now that I see you I can only assume that you're a witch." I said watching the water.

"Yes, but I'm not your normal kind of witch." She told me.

"Then what's with all of the disappearances?" I asked.

"It was a necessity." She replied.

"And why is that?" I said finally looking at her.

"Trouble is coming. I wanted to take a look at it but the magic I was trying to use required more blood and then I couldn't get enough of what I saw so I kept doing it." She told me. "I tried to stop but the practice can be so powerful. So…_enthralling_ that it's hard to stop. I finally managed to control myself but then you and the Winchesters arrived. I knew that you were going to be after me. I knew that I was in trouble."

"So why show yourself now?" I asked.

"Because out of the three of you I thought that you would be the easiest to talk to. The most understanding."

"In a way you're right." I told her. "But you can't expect us to walk away when you've already killed three people."

"I can stop you." She told me.

"You can try but we haven't lost yet." I replied.

"I know." She replied and turned away from me.

"You know I'm going to call them." I said turning to her.

"I know." She replied. "But you have bigger problems then me."

"And what is that?" I asked.

She walked back up to me. "There is a lot of information out there in the demon circles about you and your boys. There is little that we don't know."

"Get to your point." I stated.

"You're blocked." She told me. "It's been a while since your last vision. Months, right?" She asked. I didn't say anything. "I'll take that as a yes." She stated. "Like I said, you're blocked. Your relationship with Dean is blocking your power. You need your power but you are so focused on Dean that you're not letting anything else in. Sam is coming into his powers and he will be useful but you need to get past whatever it is with Dean that is blocking your vision." She told me.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I told her.

She smiled at me. "Yes you do. He betrayed you. You love him and you want to forgive him but you're holding back because he hurt you. You want to move on but you can't. Am I close?" Once again I didn't say anything. "Thought so. Listen, I'm not the bad guy. Well…I am, but I'm not." She told me. "I can help. Like you, I'm good at seeing things and can be a little more accurate then you can. I can summon it, you can't." She told me.

"Your point again?" I asked scratching my head.

"I can help you. I can help you unblock your gift." She told me.

"And how would you do that?" I asked.

"I can help you and Dean. I can help the two of you move on from the fighting back to the loving." She stated. I just looked at her. I didn't know what to say. It was more intriguing then I was going to admit. "You think on it. I'll be around." All I could do was nod. "I'm Annabelle…Evy." She said and walked away.

I watched her go, literally disappearing when she reached the crowd. I put my arms around myself and looked down at Cooper. Dean and I had been fighting. It came and went but the bad was outnumbering the good as of late. I shrugged off the shiver that went through me and headed back to the hotel. When I walked in Sam was gone but Dean was out on the balcony. I walked out and put my arms around him from behind. I put my face against his back, kissing it. He sighed and lowered his head but didn't move. He was tense and I wasn't sure exactly why. I moved next to him and leaned my back against the railing. I looked at him but he wouldn't meet my eyes.

"Dean?" I said softly.

"I'm fine." He replied.

"I wasn't going to ask you if you were okay." I told him.

"Then why are you looking at me like that?" He asked.

"I'm sorry." I told him, looking at my feet. "I'm sorry I've been difficult and things seem to be so back and forth. I want everything to be okay. I want it to feel normal, like before. I just don't know how to get there."

He finally looked at me. Sympathy in his eyes. "I know." He said softly.

"How do we fix this?" I asked him. "We need to fix this."

"I know." He said pulling me into him. He kissed the top of my head. "It'll work out."

"When?" I asked, looking up at him.

He sighed and kissed my forehead. "I don't know." He said letting me go. He started to walk inside.

"That's what I'm talking about." I told him. He stopped and turned to me. "We keep shutting each other out. We are fine and then we fight and it all goes to hell again. We have to stop shutting each other out."

"Let's just focus on the job." He said turning again.

"It's a witch." I told him. He stopped and turned back. "She came to me. She's a witch."

"And she's still alive?" He asked.

"Yes."

"Why didn't you kill her?" He asked.

"Because she told me something that was to intriguing to ignore." I replied.

"And what was that?" He asked.

"She said she could help us." I told him. He crossed his arms and frowned at me. "She said that my visions were blocked because I am too focused on us…on you. You're all I think about. You are everything to me and I know that we're in a rough patch but we can get through this. I just don't think we're above a little help."

"From a witch?" He asked.

"Dean, she doesn't seem evil. No death is right but she was trying to see trouble that is coming. My instincts tell me that she's all right." I told him.

"She's still a witch." He told me.

"You're not going to look past that and see someone who can help us?" I asked him sadly.

"We're supposed to be defeating evil, not making friends with it." He replied.

It was obvious that I wasn't going to win this one, not yet. I watched him walk away from me. Things weren't like they were before but they would be. I was willing to ask for help, even if it was unconventional. For some reason I felt like I could trust Annabelle and if she would come to me again I would ask her what she could do. I didn't come back to be unhappy. I came back to be happy with the man I loved. Everyone goes through rough patches but we needed a little help to get going on the right path. Maybe Sam would listen.

* * *

My second plan was working out as well as talking to the one who was supposed to listen to me. "Sam, why are you being like this?" I asked him.

"Like what?" He retorted.

"You're so angry at me and I just want to know why. I'm sorry about what happened but you of all people I thought would understand." I told him. "I talked to you more then anyone and you seemed okay throughout all of that. What's changed?"

"What's changed is that when you were gone, I had no choice but to go along. If I did anything to make you mad then you wouldn't have talked to me. I didn't agree with what you did. I understood, initially, that you needed to stay away. But why so long? I feel like I was being punished because of what my brother did."

I looked at him sadly. "I'm sorry, Sammy. I really am. I love you and I'm sorry that you held the short end of the stick but I would never be able to ask you to leave your brother." He nodded and looked at the floor. "Hey…" I said putting my hand on his cheek. "He needed you. I'm getting pretty good at being on my own and I make quick friends. It was necessary."

"I know." He said smiling sweetly. He took a deep breath and pulled me into him. "I'll help you with Annabelle. Look into witches. See if it's possible to trust them. But we've met witches before and none have been very friendly." He told me.

"I know. I've met a few myself but she seems different. I don't know what it is about her but…" I said and shrugged.

"You just like to see the good in everyone." Sam smiled.

I smiled back at him. "Yeah, I like to believe that everyone has some good in them."

"Come on, let's go do some research." He said putting his arm across my shoulders.

I was grateful to him. We sat for hours and looked up everything we could about witches. We read as much as we could hoping that something would tell us that she may not be as harmful as others like her. It wasn't looking good for her but I was still willing to try and look past what she had become. She was still human. She had everything that a human had plus a few special gifts she had learned along the way. I wasn't about to give her the brush off just yet. I truly believed that everyone deserved a chance. Now, with a job like mine, I knew that not everything was good and that sometimes they deserved to die but…the possibility of good…sometimes you just have to believe.

* * *

I held tight to his hand. Afraid that he might let it go and he would drift away. It didn't help that he had been slightly distant. I leaned into him putting my free hand on his bicep. He kissed my hair before putting his hand on my head. I looked up at him and smiled. He smiled back but the silence wasn't promising.

"I'm trying here, you realize that, right?" I asked him.

"You're doing very well." He replied.

"I don't get it, Dean." I told him. "I'm the one who should be the distant one. The one trying hard to look past what the other has done. Why do I feel like there is something you're not telling me? Something that I did that I don't know I did yet."

He stopped and looked at me. He let my hand go and stepped in front of me. "It's not something that you did or didn't do. I just don't want to push you away."

"Not talking to me, not trying to be normal, that's what's pushing me away." I stated.

"Sorry." He said softly.

"Don't be sorry." I told him. "Between the two of us the word is very overused."

He smiled and laughed. "Yeah, it is."

I put my hands on his face and kissed him gently. "Kiss me like you used to." I told him.

He just looked at me before he pulled me against him. His hands traced my back as his lips played with mine. His tongue traced my lips and I quivered against him. I put my arms around his neck and leaned into him. I kissed him passionately. Soon his arms tightened around me, pinning me to his chest. I opened my eyes to find his watching me. I smiled as we continued to kiss, our eyes locked on each others. He smiled and pulled his lips from mine, placing a long kiss on my forehead before putting his arm around my neck, my face buried in his chest.

"Maybe you won't need me after all." A voice said from behind me.

Dean's arms fell away from me, but his hand found mine. I looked at who spoke and wasn't surprised to see Annabelle smiling at us. "Hello." I said somewhat annoyed. Of all the times to interrupt.

"Such a happy thing to see. A happy couple making out and groping each other in public." She smiled.

"Okay, what do you want?" I smiled at her.

"Have you thought about what I told you before?" She asked.

"I have, or rather, _we _have." I told her.

"And?"

"We'll be all right." Dean told her. "But you, on the other hand, wont." He stated.

"Sorry, but it's just the way things are." I told her.

She gave a short laugh. "I thought that might be the case. So, I'm going to do it anyway." She smiled and blew some kind of powder at us. We moved back but she snapped her fingers and everything went black.

* * *

"Dean?" I said as I stared into the blackness. "Baby, can you hear me?"

"What the hell is going on?" He said loudly from right behind me.

"Jeez!" I said whipping around. "Dean!" I said putting my hands out. I found him and put my hands on his arms. "Are you okay?" I asked.

"Fine, are you?" He asked, his arm finding my waist.

"Yes." I told him.

"Good." He said and his hand found the back of my head.

"Ow!" He hadn't hit me hard but it startled me. "What was that for?" I yelled and shoved him.

"You just had to let her go! You wanted to trust her and now she did something to us! Where the hell are we?" He shot at me.

"I don't know!" I shot back. "You were there with me. She blew the dust and snapped her fingers. That's it! She just…" I said pinching the air. I growled into the air. "Why is it still dark?" I asked him.

"How the hell am I supposed to know?" He said angrily.

"Don't yell at me." I told him, wounded.

"Sorry." He said, now calm.

"What did I tell you about that word?" I told him.

"Sor –" He said but stopped, sighing.

Just then the blackness started to blur and colors started to appear. As it came into focus so did voices. As they came into view we beheld ourselves. We were standing a hotel room, unhappy looks on both our faces.

"_You are such an ass!" I yelled at him._

"_You are a stupid bitch!" He yelled back._

"_If you don't get out of my way, so help me God…" I told him just fuming._

"_You'll what? Tell my daddy?" He yelled._

"Are you seeing this?" I asked Dean in awe.

"Yup." He said stepping next to me.

"_You know what? I would be better off with your father. At least he listened to me." I told him._

"_Like hell he did. He could be your father. I don't understand your relationship with him."_

"_And you never will." I stated._

_There was a pause before Dean added, "Well, sweet cheeks, whether you like it or not you are stuck with me." He said and walked out of the room._

"Do you remember this?" I asked him.

"Yeah, I do." He smiled at me. "It was right after my dad left. After Jim died."

I gave a short laugh. "Back when you and I were at each others throats every minute of every day."

"Yeah, I didn't like you very much back then." He admitted.

"I wasn't very fond of you either." I grinned at him.

"Things sure have changed." He said softly.

"For the better." I told him.

We looked at the room as the picture faded and turned back to blackness. I put my arms around myself but soon felt hands on my shoulders. I smiled and leaned into him.

"Is it going to happen again?" He whispered.

"I don't know." I whispered back.

Then the color started to come back. We were in a little café. I remembered it. It was one of my favorite memories. I smiled and he put his arms around me. He kissed my cheek as I watched him put whipped cream on my nose. We were laughing. I was laughing so hard. It had been a long time since I'd laughed that hard.

"_I'm serious!" I laughed as I tried to wipe it off._

"_Here, let me." Dean said and kissed my nose._

"_Stop." I said pushing him away. "It tickles."_

"_Tickles huh?" He said and grabbed my side. I squirmed away from him but it was no use._

"_Um, excuse me, but you are disturbing some of the other customers." A waitress told us._

"_Oh, sorry." I told her, through my laughter._

_Dean laughed as she walked away. "Okay, so, favorite movie then." He said leaning toward me._

_I eyed him as I thought. "Honestly?" I asked. He nodded and watched me closely. "The Mummy." I told him._

"_The Mummy?" He asked. "Really?"_

"_Of course." I told him. "Any movie with Brendan Frasier is a movie worth watching but The Mummy was his best and is my all time favorite. Rachel Weise and John Hannah are awesome as well." I told him. "How about you?"_

"_Too many to narrow it down." He told me._

"_Fine." I said and raised my brow. "Why do you like me?" I asked him._

_He leaned back in his chair. "Any other questions?" He asked._

"_Dean…please?" I said sweetly._

_He sighed and shook his head at me. "For reasons I don't even know." He told me. I frowned at him. "I shouldn't like you at all. Shouldn't feel anything toward you. You are strange and beautiful. You're wavy brown hair, your grey eyes…the way you look at me." He smiled. "No one has ever looked at me like that. No one who knows what I do."_

"_Yeah, well, you're something special I guess." I grinned at him. He smiled back. "Keep going." I told him._

"_Keep going?" He smiled. "Uh…I like the way you speak. The way your mouth moves. I like your smell. You'll never tell me what it is but it makes me stop every time I smell it."_

"_And I thought it was just my looks." I grinned at him._

"_Do you want to hear this or not?" He asked._

"_Sorry." I smiled._

"_Stop interrupting." He told me. I nodded. "I like you for all the reasons I shouldn't. But for some reason I can't get enough of you."_

_I grinned and put my hand on his face. "You want to know what's completely ridiculous?" I asked him. He nodded. "I feel the same way."_

I wiped a tear from my face as the colors started to blur. I looked up at Dean. He put his arms around me and kissed me gently.

"I almost forgot about that café." He told me.

"I think about it a lot." I told him. "It was one of the first real conversations we ever had."

"I love you." He whispered.

"I love you too." I said and kissed him again.

We were once again in darkness. Dean's arms were around me. I rested my head against his chest and took a deep breath, breathing him in. The moment was short lived as yelling was heard. At first I couldn't understand what they were saying but then the scene appeared and it felt like the air had been knocked out of me. I watched as the lake came into view. Andrea and Lucas watching on while Dean performed CPR on me. I knew it had happened. I had drowned. I knew that but to see it was something completely different.

"_Evy…" Dean said with his hand on my face._

"_She's not breathing." Sam said aloud._

"Oh God…" I whispered as I watched Dean compress my chest.

"I don't want to watch this." Dean said and turned away from the scene.

"I didn't realize…" I said turning toward him.

"_Come on!" Dean said and gave me two more breaths._

"_Dean…" Sam said and looked at him._

"You didn't give up." I told him as I turned back to the scene. "You had no intention of giving up." I stated as I looked back at him.

"I would never give up on you." Dean whispered, his back still to the scene.

"_I know." Dean said and started the compressions again. He gave me two more breaths. Still nothing happened. He went to give me two more when my body convulsed slightly and I started to cough up water._

The scene had played out. I remembered what happened after that. I turned to Dean. "It's over." I told him as I walked up to him. I put my arms around his shoulders and kissed the back of his neck. "Are you okay?" I asked. He just nodded. I moved in front of him and noticed the tears before blackness came over us again. "Dean?" I said and put my hand on his face. I felt the tears and wiped them away. "Oh baby…" I whispered and put my forehead against his.

"I was so scared." He told me. His voice was shaky as his arms moved around me.

"I know." I told him. "I know what it feels like."

And it was shown to him as yet another memory came flooding into view. Only this time it was me who had to look away. I was in the basement. Dean was on the ground. I had already seen this. I didn't need to see it again. I shut my eyes but stayed next to Dean. His breathing was steady but his hand gripped mine. I was shaking and he pulled me against him. I put my face against his chest, feeling his chin rest on the top of my head.

"_I don't want to have to do this. I don't know if I can do this. But you did this once for me and I'm going to do this for you." I told him._

I remembered saying it. I remembered what I had to do. There was not a day that went by when it didn't cross my mind. It was still fresh. It was a moment in time that proved to me that this man was the one for me. I looked up at him, watching his face as he watched my memory. His face was hard, his brows together as he watched.

"_He'll be all right. He'll be all right. Oh God, _please _let me him be all right."_

I was in the car with Sam. We were on our way to the hospital. I was completely unaware of Sam or what we were doing. I was detached and unable to think of anything other then Dean. I never wanted to feel like that again.

"_He has to be all right." I told Sam, finally acknowledging him. "He has to be all right." I repeated as the tears flowed. I sobbed, rocking back and forth in the seat._

"_He will be." Sam said taking my hand._

_I nodded and squeezed it, trying to hold back the tears. I held Sam's hand tightly against me as we followed the ambulance._

"_He needs to be. He _needs_ to." I told him. "What will I do if he dies?" I said as a fresh wave of tears flowed. "I don't know what I'll do. I can't live without him. What am I going to do, Sam?" I said looking at him._

_We were now in the parking lot. Sam pulled me against him. "No matter what happens, you will always have me." He said hugging me tight._

"_I know." I told him more calmly. "I know, Sammy." I whispered. "I just love him so much."_

"_I know you do. But I love you too. Don't disappear on me."_

"_I'm trying not to. I just can't bear the thought of him dying." I told him, gripping him harder._

"_I know. Me neither, but he needs us now. He needs us to be strong. We need to take care of him." Sam told me. "He needs you."_

_I nodded and looked at him. I wiped the tears from my face and gave him the best smile I could. I kissed his cheek and ran my fingers through his hair. "Let's go see our boy." I grinned at him._

The colors started to blur as the memory disappeared. I was still watching Dean as it started to get dark. He put his hands on my face and kissed me in a way he hadn't for a long time now, a kiss filled with passion and love. I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him back. Colors were finally starting to form again when we pulled apart from each other. He held me against him as we watched memories flow around us. Us fighting, us talking, us making love…they were all the memories that made our relationship the way it was. I smiled and laughed with him as we watched. It had changed us, just the way Annabelle said it would. Though, just as we thought it was going to end there was two more that needed to be seen. The first was my vision, the one of him and Cassie. It was just as I had seen it. Only it didn't end with my vision. It took the liberty of showing the car accident. I crossed my arms and watched Dean. When it was finished his eyes were shut, his jaw clenched. I put my hand on his arm. He looked at me. The pain I saw in his eyes made tears come to my own.

"It's okay." I told him.

"No, it's not." He replied and pulled me against him.

"It's all over now." I told him. "We're both fine. We'll be fine." I said looking up at him. "We've both changed so much. You were an arrogant ass and me a stubborn bitch." I said and laughed. He laughed and kissed my forehead. "Change is good. This is just one more hurdle that we've already crossed."

"But seeing it makes it different." He told me.

"Yeah, but I don't care about it anymore. If anything, this just proves that we can survive anything." I smiled.

Colors started and the last piece fell in line. The one needed to truly understand each other. I watched as a demolished motel room came into view. Sam was standing against a wall while Dean stood in the center of the room, breathing heavily.

"_Are you finished?" Sam asked his brother._

"_I am such an idiot!" He yelled._

"_I know." Sam told him._

"_Go ahead, Sam. Be angry at me. I know you. I know how much you love her." Dean shot at his brother._

"_You're right, I do love her. But not nearly as much as she loves you and that you love her. What you did was horrible and you knew how much Evy loves you but you slept with her anyway." Sam replied._

"_But I also told her what a mistake it was. I told her that it shouldn't have happened. I hate myself for it. Why did she have to see it?" He asked. "Of all the things for her to see, why did it have to be this one _stupid _thing?"_

"_I don't know, Dean. Maybe it's because the two of you are so connected. She's focused on you so maybe her subconscious picked you out and showed her what it thought she needed to see. Would you have told her what happened if she hadn't seen it?" Sam asked._

_Dean just looked at him. "I don't know. I just want her back."_

"_You'll have to wait. She doesn't want you right now." Sam told him._

"_But I need her." Dean told him._

"_Since when do you need a woman, Dean? You have been nothing but a man who sleeps around and enjoys doing it. Now, with Evy, you can't get enough of her and I'm just surprised that you have found someone who you actually want to spend your life with."_

"_It was bound to happen eventually. We have a lot in common."_

"_You have nothing in common." Sam shot at him._

_Dean glowered at his brother. "Fine, we don't have a lot in common. All I know is that I really love her, Sammy. More then I ever thought I would be able to love anyone. Now I know what it was like for you. How you felt about Jessica." He replied._

"_Yeah, I loved Jess. But I also got her killed. You nearly killed Evy. It's a good thing she's all right." Sam told him._

"_You talked to her?" Dean asked._

"_Yeah, she called me from her hospital bed." He told his brother._

"_You said she's okay?" Dean said walking up to his brother._

"_Yeah, physically, I think she is. Emotionally she's a mess. You should have heard her Dean. She's hurting and that's because of you." Sam told him, his tone cold._

"_I broke her." Dean stated, sadness in his voice. Sam simply nodded._

The scene faded and we were once again in the dark. It was silent. I was processing everything we had seen. All of the memories. Some new, some old, some we didn't want to see again.

"What are you thinking?" Dean asked me.

I found his face and kissed him gently. "That we're going to be okay." I whispered.

Then out of nowhere a song started to play. "What the hell is this?" Dean asked.

"I don't know." I replied.

_By now you know that. I'd come for you. No one but you. Yes, I'd come for you. But only if you told me to. And I'd fight for you. I'd lie it's true. Give my life for you. You know I'll always come for you._

"What do you think she's trying to say?" He asked. I could hear the smile in his voice.

"What we've known all along." I replied.

_No matter what gets in my way. As long as there's still life in me. No matter what, remember, you know I'll always come for you. You know I'll always come for you._


	30. Vampires Part I

**Disclaimer: The usual. =]**

* * *

_**Chapter Thirty: Vampires Part I**_

The blackness faded away and the next thing we knew we were by the lake again. We looked around but Annabelle was no where to be seen. Her trick had worked well. It seemed that no one noticed our disappearing act. I looked at Dean and he smiled at me before pulling me against him. I smiled and put my arms around him as we went toward the hotel.

"You're finally back." Sam said without looking up from his laptop.

"Sammy!" I smiled going to the bed. I moved behind him and put my arms around his neck. "Don't be like that. How long were we gone for?" I asked.

"Just under seven hours, but who's counting?" He said still not looking at either of us.

"I'm sorry." I said putting my cheek against his.

"So where've you been?" He asked, finally looking at me.

"We've been reliving our memories." I told him.

"What?" He asked.

I moved next to him as Dean sat in a chair at the table. "We had a run in with the witch again." I told him. "She laid a little mojo on us and it was movie time."

"You've been around Dean too long." He smiled at me.

I leaned forward and kissed his cheek. "Maybe, but that was the whole point." I told him. "We just relived some significant memories. Some that we shared together, some that we were…unable to share." I told him.

"I wish you were making sense." Sam frowned at us.

I smiled at him. "It doesn't matter." I said putting my hand on his face. "I love you, you know that?"

"Yeah." He said, smiling at me.

"Good." I said kissing his cheek again. "Now, I need a shower." I said and jumped off of the bed. I went to the bathroom and closed the door. I was starting to undress when I heard them talking.

"She seems happy." Sam stated. Dean didn't voice a reply. "Are you?" He asked.

"You know…" Dean told his brother. "To answer that I'll tell you this." He said and paused. "I think I need to use the bathroom."

I laughed and kept going, turning on the water. A moment later the door opened and Dean already had his shirt unbuttoned.

"Aw, you already did my favorite part." I frowned at him.

He laughed and rushed over to me. He took me in his arms and practically threw me into the shower. I laughed as he helped me out of my remaining clothes. I did the same for him, pulling him under the hot water with me. I pulled his face to mine, kissing him deeply. He pressed his body against me, moving me against the wall. I laughed as happiness filled me. He grinned, moving his lips to my neck. I loved that. I put my arms around him, gripping him tightly against me.

(BREAK)

The sun was shining through the window, hitting my face directly. I was going to move but didn't want to wake Dean. It had been a long night and we had barely been sleeping a few hours. I was about to try and go back to sleep when Cooper nosed my face, whining. I smiled at him and slowly moved from Dean's arms. I slipped on clothes before grabbing Cooper's leash, pocketing it before slipping out of the room. The motel was quiet. I could hear every footfall my dog and I made down the hall. It was eerie. I wasn't surprised to see Cooper tense. I stopped and called him to me. He sat next to me and I waited for him to show himself. His footfalls seemed loud as he walked in front of me. I gave a short laugh before looking at the ceiling.

"Wasn't expecting you." I told him.

"Are you ever?" He grinned.

"Sometimes." I stated.

"Are you happy?" He asked.

"I am." I replied.

"Back with Dean." He stated. "You've wanted nothing more since you had your vision."

"I wish you would stop watching me. I'm not the one you want. I'll never help you." I told him.

"Maybe I watch because I like what I see." He told me with a devilish smirk.

"You disgust me." I told him coldly.

"Maybe, but I'm a demon. Remember?" He asked as he showed me his yellow eyes.

"I don't need a reminder." I told him.

"Notice how your dog is no longer growling at me?" He asked.

"He's knows it's no use. If you try anything you'll hear the growls. As long as there is just talking he stays his ground. Though I wonder why. You nearly killed him the last time he saw you. I would think he'd jump at the opportunity to hurt you."

He laughed. "But he wouldn't be able to kill me."

"No." I said shaking my head. "But we'll find a way." I told him.

"You go ahead and try." He smiled. An odd expression crossed his face for just a moment. "Time to go. Go ahead and take your dog outside."

"I don't understand you." I shot at him. "You show up and tell me nothing. You're taunting me only I don't know why."

"Goodbye." He smiled and disappeared.

I took a deep breath before continuing down the hall. Cooper let out a growl and snorted. "I know." I told him. "I hate him too."

The stupid demon was so damn cocky. He knew that we had nothing on him. He knew that we were no closer to killing him. I was deep in thought when I heard a crash from an alley. I stopped and Cooper's tail started to wag. I frowned at him as he sat down. I looked back at the alley and watched as someone started to walk toward me. I held my breath as I waited for them to step into the streetlight's glow. When he finally did I smiled, not sure whether I should rush to him or not.

"Evy…" He smiled.

"John…" I replied, smiling wider.

"What are you waiting for?" He asked opening his arms.

"John…" I said again as I rushed to him. I jumped into his arms, wrapping my arms around his neck. "You're here." I whispered.

"It's good to see you." He said running his hand down the back of my head.

"I've missed you. I've been so angry and said so many things that I regret." I told him.

"None of that matters. You're back where you belong. Everything is going to be all right." He told me sweetly.

"I love you, John." I told him. "Just in case I don't get the chance again."

"What are you talking about?" He asked letting me go. "What's wrong?"

I smiled at him. "Nothing at the moment." I told him. "But you never know. Each moment could be your last." He sighed with relief. "Come on. Let's go see your boys." I told him.

"No, wait." He told me.

"John, don't start this again." I frowned at him.

"I know. I was just worried. I keep tabs on all of you and when I heard about Dean's accident and your return I had to come see you." He replied.

"But not your boys?" I asked him. "I thought we'd talked about this. It's not fair to them if I keep seeing you and they don't." I told him.

"I know." He nodded.

"But since you're here. I had an encounter with good old yellow-eyes." I told him.

"Are you okay?" He asked with his hand on my arm.

"Not a scratch." I told him. "But he keeps coming to me and I don't know what he wants. He never gives anything away. He hurt me not too long ago but usually all he does is talk."

"You should have told me." He said his tone scolding me.

"John, if I told you everything you'd be worried out of your mind. I'm not going to hide things from you but I'm not your little girl. I can take care of myself. Believe it or not." I retorted.

"I know." He said putting his hand on my cheek. "And I always worry." He said with a raised brow.

"I know." I told him, putting my hand over his.

"I better go. If he was here tonight maybe I can get a lead on him." He replied.

"I doubt it, but…good luck." I smiled.

"Call me if he shows again." He told me.

"Sure." I replied. He frowned at me. "Big girl…remember?"

He sighed but nodded. "Be safe." He said and kissed my forehead before walking away.

I watched him go before going back to the hotel. When I walked in Dean was sitting on the edge of the bed. I frowned and went to him. "Are you okay?" I asked him.

"Yeah." He said giving me his infamous half smile. I smiled but knew that something was up. "Just thinking that…" He said and stopped.

"Do you remember what I told you? After Sam and I brought you home from the hospital? We talked and you told me not to leave you. Remember what I told you?" I asked sitting down next to him.

"You said 'Never'." He replied.

"And I meant it." I said taking his hand in mine. "I meant every word of it." He nodded. "Honey, I know that things have been anything but conventional between us. I know that but the only thing I've ever been certain of, is that we belong together. We've had our rough patches but so far we've made it through it. Everything is going to be fine." I said kissing his temple. "I love you. You just remember that."

"I'll remember." He smiled. He put his hand through my hair, pulling my face into him. He kissed me deeply before putting his arms around me.

"Is something else wrong?" I asked him.

"No." He replied smiling. I could see right through it but wasn't going to get into it now.

"Ready to go back to bed?" I smiled.

He nodded and I crawled to the headboard, pulling the covers up as Dean did the same. He turned onto his side, facing away from me. I just smiled and put my arm across him, bringing myself up against his back. I put my head right behind his, kissing the back of his neck. I ran my fingers through his hair with one hand as I ran my fingers up and down his arm. I kissed his shoulder, hoping that whatever it was that he was thinking wasn't going to start a fight between us. We were all right and I wanted us to stay that way.

"I love you too." He whispered as he drifted off to sleep.

I smiled and kissed his hair as I kept running my fingers up and down his arm. I rested my head next to his and kept going until I fell asleep. I was in a comfortable sleep when pain started to erupt in my head. It was moving too fast. I was seeing small pieces of several different happenings.

_I saw Sam protecting a woman from a little girl. Saw Sam hit her with a metal poker before she disappeared. I saw Dean tied to a chair, men surrounding him. I saw a blond being thrown out of a window. Something was sucking the life out of Sam. I saw John with his boys. He was hurt. All of them were. It kept jumping around. I couldn't focus on anything. I could feel myself yell out but I couldn't control it. Then it slowed. It slowed down, nearly stopping, a gun being shown to me. A hand was attached to it and soon it panned out and showed me a woman holding down an old man. Soon others were there and I watched as they feasted on him. Draining the blood from his body before leaving him for dead on the ground._

The pain faded and I found myself in Dean's arms. For a moment I couldn't open my eyes. My head was throbbing like it never had before.

"Breathe!" I heard Dean yell.

I started gasping for air, feeling like something was taking it from me. I felt my eyes roll back, trying to take in enough air to sustain me.

"Dean!" I heard Sam yell.

"She'll be all right!" Dean shot at his brother.

My breathing was better and I slowly opened my eyes. Both of them were staring down at me. I was startled and I pulled away, slamming against the nightstand. I was panting now, looking around. I was still in the hotel room. I closed my eyes and put my hand to my head. It was pounding so hard.

"Evy…" Dean said slowly moving toward me.

"Dean!" I said throwing my arms around him. "What the hell have I been missing?" I asked pulling away from him.

"What?" He asked.

"Sam, will you get me some Tylenol or something?" I asked him.

"Of course." He said and rushed off to get it for me.

"Come on." Dean said helping me onto the bed. "What happened?" He asked.

"My head hurts so bad." I told him with my head in my hands.

"It's okay." He said putting his hands over mine, kissing my hair. "What did you see?" He asked.

"Here…" Sam said giving me two pills and a glass of water.

"Thank you." I told him after I'd swallowed. They were both looking at me expectantly. "What happened to you Sam? And to you?" I said putting my hand on Dean's chest. "What the hell did I miss while I was gone?"

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked me.

"Something was _sucking_ the life out of you." I told him. "Some men had you tied to a chair." I told Dean. "All of you, including John, were hurt. Some blond got thrown out of a window." I said with my hand on my head. "And apparently I _was_ blocked and now it came back full force."

They both looked at each other before diving into a big explanation of what I had missed. The blond was Meg Masters. Some demon that Sam knew from…I didn't know when. We skipped over that to her nearly killing them and John. Sam had been attacked by a _shtriga_ who had also attacked him as a kid. Dean had been tied to a chair after Sam had been taken by a family known as the Benders. They were killing humans as a sport. Ever hear of The Most Dangerous Game? Dean had, of course, saved Sam but it never goes as planned. Sam had been protecting the woman from a vengeful spirit that found its way around in a painting. It was a basic run through of what had been going on but it was enough. I nodded and then filled them in on the end of my vision. Told them what happened to the old man. I couldn't tell where it was but it wasn't good.

"How are you feeling?" Dean asked as he handed me another glass of water.

"I don't know." I told him. "My head hurts and my throat is sore."

"You scared us there for a second." Sam said sitting across from me.

"Sorry. It caught me off guard." I told them. "It's never been that bad before. Not even when I had my first one."

"It's okay." Dean said kissing my head. "We'll figure it out."

I nodded and smiled at them. "I'm tired." I told them looking at the ground.

Dean nodded and pulled back the covers as I moved underneath them. It was his turn to hold me. He pulled me against him, holding me tightly. I closed my eyes and ran my fingers up and down his arm. It was a comfort for me. Dean buried his face in my neck and kissed it gently. I tried to sleep but my head still hurt and there was little night left as there was. I laid in Dean's arms till the sun came up and Sam brought our attention to a murder that had taken place.

"Man in Colorado. Local man by the name of Daniel Elkins was mauled in his home." Sam read to us after we got up and ready for the day.

"Elkins, I know that name." Dean told us.

"You do?" I asked him.

"Doesn't ring a bell." Sam told him. "It sounds like the police didn't know what to think. At first they said it was some sort of bear attack and now they found signs of robbery." Sam added.

I was reading the article from over Sam's shoulder but watched as Dean paged through John's journal. He must have found what he was looking for because he handed it over to Sam. I read the name as he did.

"You think it's the same Elkins?" Sam asked.

"It's a Colorado area code." Dean told him.

"This is all great guys but we also have my vision to work through." I told them.

"One thing at a time." Dean told me.

"I know that." I told him. "And I realize that I still don't have a lot to go on but it'll happen and when it does I need you to back me up. I don't want to fight alone anymore."

"I'll help you when you need me. But we also need to look up this guy. If he's in dad's journal then he has to be some kind of important." He replied.

I sighed but nodded, "Fine."

"Evy, we'll do what you need but first we need to do this." He said softly.

I nodded but didn't say any more. We grabbed a quick bite before getting on the road. It was dark by the time we reached Manning, Colorado. I let Cooper out and he immediately went into work mode as his nose searched the ground. He smelled something but when he barked we knew that no one was there. We all grabbed flashlights and went to the house. Something had done a nice job tearing the place apart. I followed Cooper through the house as Dean and Sam started searching. Sam found a ring of salt while Dean found Elkins journal. I glanced at it but found the picture on the desk more appealing.

"Oh my God." I said as I looked at his picture. "This is him." I told them. "This is the man from my vision. I watched him die."

"It's okay." Dean told me. "You can't save everyone."

"I know." I said quietly. "But it doesn't make it feel any better." Sam put his arm around me as Dean squatted, looking at something on the floor. "What is it?"

"Look familiar?" Dean asked after he stenciled something off the floor.

"Three letters, six digits. The location and combination to a post office box. It's a mail drop." Sam told him.

"Which is the way dad does it." Dean stated.

We all exchanged glances before covering our tracks. We found the post office and the box number. There was only one thing inside. It was a letter addressed to JW.

"JW. You think, John Winchester?" Sam asked once we were back in the car.

"I don't know. You think we should open it?" Dean asked still looking at the letter.

"Open it." I told him, leaning my torso into the front seat.

He didn't have time to do anything when there was a knock on the window. We all jumped and looked to see John right outside of the window. I pulled myself back into the back seat as he opened the door and got in.

"Dad, what are you doing here? Are you all right?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, I'm okay." John replied. I just looked at him. He seemed hard. "Look, I read the news about Daniel. I got here as fast as I could." He told us.

"Did you know him?" I asked. He just looked at me.

"I saw you three up at his place." He stated.

"Why didn't you come in, Dad?" Sam asked.

"You know why. Because I had to make sure you weren't followed. By anyone, or anything." He told him. "Nice job covering your tracks by the way." He winked at me. I smiled but knew that this was different.

"Yeah, well we learned from the best." Dean told him.

"Wait, so you came all the way out here for this Elkins guy?" Sam asked.

"Yeah." John said, a distant look in his eyes. "He was…he was a good man. He taught me a hell of a lot about hunting." He told us.

I put my hand on his shoulder. "Sorry." I whispered to him. He just looked at me for a moment. He was always different when it came to his boys. Always difficult.

"You never mentioned him to us." Sam stated.

"We had a…we had kind of a falling out." John replied. "I hadn't seen him in years."

The car was silent as all our eyes were on John. I had just seen him but his boys were looking at him like he may disappear at any moment. I frowned at him but he didn't seem to notice.

"I should take a look at that." John said looking at the letter. He opened it, reading it quickly. "If you're reading this, I'm already dead." He read aloud. "That sonofabitch."

"What is it?" Dean asked.

"He had it the whole time."

"Dad, what?" Sam added.

"What did he have?" I asked. We were all eager to know what it was that would bring John out of hiding.

"When you searched the place did you, did you see a gun? An antique, a colt revolver, did you see it?" He asked quickly.

My brows furrowed as I tried to remember but I couldn't remember seeing any gun.

"There was an old case but it was empty." Dean told him.

"They have it." John said looking away.

I looked at Dean. He looked back before asking, "You mean whatever killed Elkins?"

"We've gotta pick up the trail." John said getting out of the car.

"John…" I said doing the same.

"Wait, you want us to come with you?" Sam asked him as he leaned down at the driver's side window.

"If Elkins is telling the truth we've got to find this gun." John told him.

"The gun, why?" Sam asked.

"Because it's important, that's why." John told him.

"John…" I said as I walked around the car to him. He glanced at me but didn't say anything.

"Dad we don't even know what these things are yet." Sam stated.

"They are what Daniel Elkins killed best." John stated. "Vampires."

"What?" I asked. I thought they were extinct. That's what he had told me.

"Vampires?" Dean said looking at him. "I thought there was no such thing?"

"You never even mentioned them, dad." Sam stated.

"I thought they were extinct." He told them. "I thought Elkins and others had wiped them out. I was wrong."

I put my hand on his back. He straightened and the brothers got out of the car. He spent a short time explaining to us about vampires. How most of what was told wasn't true at all. Crosses don't repel them, sunlight doesn't kill them, and neither will a stake to the heart. But the blood lust was real. The thirst for fresh human blood was there. But they were once human, we wouldn't know it was a vampire until it was too late. Once the history lesson was over the four of us drove to the nearest hotel and got a room. I ordered a pizza while the men talked. They were talking in hushed tones like I shouldn't be listening to them. When I walked over they stopped.

"Either you're talking about me or just about something you don't want me to know." I told them as I sat next to Dean. I rested my forearm on his shoulder and eyed them all.

"You're not coming." John told me.

"What?" I asked, shocked.

"It's too dangerous. The three of us can handle it." He told me.

"That's bullshit!" I said standing back up. "I'm not sitting this one out."

"Yes you are." Dean told me.

"Dean…" I said looking at him.

"You've nearly died twice. I'm not risking it happening again. Vampires are big. I'm not letting you get hurt." He told me.

"Dean." I said shortly.

"Don't fight me on this." He told me as he stood up.

"Am I fighting you or just what your father told you?" I said angrily. He frowned at me.

"It's not a discussion. It's a decision." He said sitting back down.

"I don't believe this." I said turning away from them.

"Evy, please." John said standing up.

"Don't bother, John." I told him grabbing my jacket. "I'm just too damn breakable aren't I?" I said as I left the room.

"Evy, wait." I heard John say behind me. "It's not safe out there."

"So let them come so I can take care of them myself." I told him. "I can handle it and you know it."

"Just, come back and we'll talk about it." He told me.

"There's nothing to talk about. Your mind is made up and you made Dean's up for him." I stated.

"He's a good boy. He knows it's too dangerous for you." He replied.

"We'll see." I told him and went back into the room.


	31. Vampires Part II

_**Chapter Thirty-one: Vampires Part II**_

I was pissed. I sat on the bed and crossed my arms. Dean kept looking at me and I'd look back. I was so angry with him. He knew it too. When they were finally done it was time to wait for them to show themselves. Dean was asleep next to me while Sam slept in the other bed. I laid there but I wasn't tired. I was watching John. He sat awake by the police scanner. I sighed and got up, sitting across from him.

"I'm going." I told him.

"Evy, we've been over this." He told me.

"Yes, and I'm sick and tired of you being so hard on your boys and not me. You're a much kinder person when you are around me and such an ass when you're around your boys. Why is that, John?" I asked him.

"I'm just trying to protect them." He told me.

"I want to protect them too. Cooper and I can help. His nose will tell us if there is any danger and he's a good guard dog. He can cause a distraction and live through it if you give him the chance." I told him.

"You're not coming." He told me.

"I'm not discussing this with you anymore. I'm telling you the way it is. Go ahead and try and stop me. You know it won't work." I told him.

"Fine." He said hotly.

"Fine." I told him the same way.

Just then something came through the radio. An abandoned car; then police talk that I couldn't understand. John looked at me and got up. "Time to go." He told me. "Sam…Dean…let's go. Picked up a police call. A couple called 911 found a body in the street. When the cops got there everyone was missing. It's the vampires." He told them.

"How do you know?" Sam asked rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Just follow me, okay?" John said as he went to the door.

"Yup, this is such a happier side of John." I told Cooper as we followed him out.

We drove to the site of the crime. John told us to hang back as he went and talked to the cops. I threw a ball for Cooper as we waited. Sam looked unhappy and Dean was just waiting like a good boy. This whole family dynamic was screwed up.

"I don't see why we couldn't go over with him." Sam told his brother.

"Don't tell me it's already starting?" Dean asked.

"What's starting?" Sam asked.

I just sighed and threw the ball.

"What do you got?" Dean asked as John walked back.

I took the ball from Cooper and pocketed it as we listened to what he had.

"It was them all right." He told us. "Looks like they're heading west. We'll have to double back, pick up the trail."

"How can you be so sure?" Sam asked.

I hadn't truly seen the John-Sam dynamic. The times they had been together before were all for a specific reason. Usually me. Either that or saving Sam. But here it was right in front of me. Dean was the referee and I would have to try and help him out. The two men seemed to be very much at odds with each other.

"Sam…" Dean said to his brother.

"I just want to know we're going in the right direction." Sam shot back at him.

"We are." John told him.

"How do you know?" Sam asked.

"I found this." John said taking something from his pocket.

I stepped next to Dean to take a look at it. "It's a vampire fang." Dean stated.

"No fangs, teeth. The second set descends when they attack." John told them. "Any more questions?" He asked looking at Sam. No one said anything. "All right. Let's get out of here. We're losing daylight." He said walking toward his truck. "And Dean, why don't you touch up your car before you get rust. I wouldn't have gave you the damn thing if I thought you were going to ruin it."

"John…" I frowned as he walked to his car.

"Evy…it's fine." Dean told me.

I frowned at him before making my decision. "I'm riding with your dad." I told him and went to the truck.

"Evy…" Dean said.

"It's fine. I just need to talk to him." I told him.

"Evy, go with them." John told me.

"Shut the fuck up and get in the car." I told him. John didn't say anything but got in. We were driving but I wasn't paying attention to where. I let him stay quiet but I wasn't done talking to him. "What the hell is the matter with you?" I shot at him. "Why did you say that about his car? He loves that thing and does whatever he needs to keep it running. All he wants to do is to make you proud and you shoot him down every time." I yelled at him. "I don't know what your deal is John but you are too hard on your boys. Especially Sam, I don't know what it is but you need to be more of a father and less like a fucking boss to them."

"Are you finished?" He asked when I didn't go on. I stayed quiet. "Everything I do I do for them. Everything I do is to keep them safe."

"Then why aren't you the same with me?" I asked him.

"Do you want me to be?" He shot at me. "You and I are something completely different then me and my boys. I don't look at you and see a child. I don't see you as one of my kids. You are more than that and I respect you in a way I don't with my boys. I don't know why but that's just the way it is. The way you came into my life and continue to be in my life. It's different. Can't you just accept that? You and I are completely different than me and my boys."

"Fine! It's different, but it doesn't make it right." I replied.

"I know. But it's just the way it is. I know you too well and I've been too distant with my boys to change it now. I've been closer to you." He told me.

"Well, I'm closer to your boys now. I want nothing but the best for them and the best is a father that cares about them. That loves them the way their father should love them."

"We don't have time for that." He replied.

"Find time." I said coldly.

We drove till the sun was down and John thought he found the vampires trail. He called Dean only moments later the Impala sped in front of us and hit the brakes, skidding in front of us. John hit the brakes and I slammed against the dashboard.

"Are you okay?" John asked me.

"What the hell?" I asked him.

John got out of the car just as Sam and Dean were. John was pissed and it was clear that Sam was as well. Dean had his referee face on and I knew that a fight was coming.

"What the hell was that?" John asked him.

"We need to talk." Sam told him.

"About what?" John asked.

"About everything!" Sam yelled. "Where we going, Dad? What's the big deal about this gun?"

"Sammy, come on. We can Q and A after all the vampires are dead." Dean told him.

"John…" I said grabbing his coat.

"Your brother's right. We don't have time for this." John told him.

"Last time we saw you, you said it was too dangerous to be together; and now out of the blue you need our help." Sam said quickly.

"Sam…" I told him pleadingly. "Please, you two. Just stop it."

"Obviously something big is going down and we want to know what." Sam yelled at his father.

"Get back in the car." John told him.

"John…" I said looking at him.

"No." Sam replied.

"Dean…" I whispered looking at him. He just shrugged and shook his head.

"I said get back in the damn car." John repeated.

"Yeah, and I said 'no'." Sam replied.

"All right, you made your point tough guy." Dean told his brother. "Look we're all tired. We can talk about this later. Sammy, I mean it, come on." He said pushing his brother toward the car.

I held tight to John's arm. "John, come on." I told him trying to pull him back.

"This is why I left in the first place." Sam said under his breath.

"What did you say?" John said taking a step toward him.

"You heard me!" Sam yelled.

"Please, John, don't." I told him, still hanging on to his arm.

"Yeah, you left." John said walking toward him. "Your brother and me, we needed you. You walked away, Sam. _You_ walked away!" He yelled grabbing his shirt.

"Stop it, both of you!" Dean yelled.

"Please!" I added.

"You're the one who said don't come back, dad. You're the one who closed the door, not me!" Sam yelled at him. "You were just pissed off that you couldn't control me anymore!"

John held tight to Sam's jacket with both hands. Dean stepped between them. "Listen, stop it! Stop it! Stop it! That's enough!" He yelled pulling them apart. Dean put himself between them but turned to his father. "That means you too."

Sam got back into the car as John did the same. I stepped up to Dean and looked at him. "What are we going to do?" I asked him.

He shook his head. "I don't know."

"I'll stay with your dad. You try and calm Sam down. Whether he likes it or not John's his father." I told him.

"Yeah, he's mine too." He replied.

"Yeah, but right now you're not the problem child." I smiled.

"Be careful." He smiled.

"You too." I said and kissed him deeply before returning to John's black truck.

I got in and slammed the door shut. "What are we going to do about this, John?" I asked him.

"I didn't start it." He told me coldly.

"But you sure tried to finish it!" I yelled at him. "Isn't it obvious that I'm right?" I asked him. "You need to show your boys love not all of this hate. I don't know what happened between you two but I don't really care. Whatever the two of you have against each other it isn't worth hating each other over it. I know he left but he left to go to college. You should be proud, not pissed." He didn't say anything. "Whatever." I said and crossed my arms.

We didn't say anything as we tracked down the nest. John was right when he said that he had found the trail. We parked and walked a short ways through the woods before a barn came into view and sure enough, two vampires were in site.

"Sonofabitch, so they really aren't afraid of the sun?" Dean asked.

"Direct sunlight hurts like a nasty sunburn." John told him. "The only way to kill them is by beheading. And yeah, they may sleep during the day but it doesn't mean they don't wake up." He smiled.

"So, I guess, walking right in is not our best option." Dean stated.

"Actually, that's the plan." John smiled.

We headed back to the cars to gather everything we might need. I got a machete of my very own. While the boys got ready I took Cooper for a potty break before returning in time to hear John mention the colt.

"It's just a story. A legend really." He told us. "Well I thought it was. Never really believed it until I read Daniel's letter. Back in 1835, when Halley's Comet overhead, the same night those men died at the Alamo. They say that Samuel Colt made a gun. A special gun. He made it for a hunter. A man like us, only on horseback. Story goes he made thirteen bullets. This hunter used the gun half dozen times before he disappeared the gun along with him. Till somehow Daniel got his hands on it. They say…" He said and paused. "They say this gun can kill anything."

"Kill anything, like supernatural anything?" Dean asked.

"Like the demon." Sam said, though it wasn't a question.

"Yeah, the demon." John told them. "Ever since I picked up its trail I've been looking for a way to destroy that thing. Find the gun. We may have it."

There was a long silence before John broke it. We had to get moving. Cooper was the first down the hill. He was quiet and looked back at me. I followed and the men followed behind me. Cooper was smart enough when I told him not to make a sound. We made our way through the window to the loft. I was right behind Cooper as we made our way through the barn. Sam found a woman tied to a beam. Dean found the people they were keeping. The people they continued to drain over a length of time. I was behind John, hoping to help him find the colt. The vampires were sleeping in hammocks just feet apart from each other. They were sound asleep, but like John had said, they could still wake up. Just as I thought it Dean bumped some beer bottles make them clatter. I scowled at him but no one woke up. John motioned for me to stay back and I stopped between the stairs and the main room to watch out for anything to go array. Sam was about to untie the girl when Cooper let out a growl. I looked to where he was and saw Sam.

"Sam…" I whispered. "Don't…"

It was too late. She had been turned and she let loose a cry that woke every one of them. John told us to run. I told Cooper to get out and he did as he was told. Just as he always did. I saw the brothers run but didn't see John coming from behind. The next thing I knew I was grabbed from behind and a hand put over my mouth. Dean and Sam were running from the barn and I couldn't yell out to them. I was going to be stuck with vampires. The barn door shut and I was surrounded. Growls were humming in their throats as they all looked at me. I clenched my jaw. Ready to fight if I needed to. I didn't want to be turned. I wouldn't know what to do if I was turned. Soon the leader stepped in front of me. Him and his mate.

"Let her go." The man smiled. I was released and I looked at the circle I had around me. I stood no chance. "I wouldn't try anything. You wouldn't make it a foot." He told me.

"I know." I replied. "I'm not stupid."

"Are you sure?" His mate asked. "You came into a coven of a dozen vampires and you thought you could just walk away."

"Just give me the gun and I can guarantee your safety." I told them. They all laughed. "Laugh now." I told them. "Because they will be coming for me and you'll be sorry. They won't show an ounce of pity on any of you. All of you are going to die."

They all just looked at me. The woman came forward and backhanded me. I fell to the ground. "Kate!" I heard the male say.

"Luther…" She said walking back to him. "We should turn her."

"No." Luther replied. "She's worth more to us alive."

"Aw, come on baby. It'll be fun. Then they'll have to kill her too." She grinned.

"No." He told her again. "If we kill her then they'll never stop. But go ahead and play with her until sundown." He told her with a smile on his face.

She grinned and stepped up to me, hitting me again. I fell to the ground and soon another man came forward and grabbed me, pulling me against him.

"You wanna play?" He asked me, grinning.

"Yeah, let's play." I told him and kneed him in the groin, he backhanded me and I flew, hitting a pillar before falling to the ground. I tasted blood and knew that it was going to be a very, very long day.

Another stepped up and pulled me to my feet. He pushed me against the pillar before taking my wrist in his hand. I looked at him and the way he was looking at my hand made my stomach drop.

"No, don't." I told him, fighting against his grip. He laughed as he slowly brought my hand to his lips. My air caught in my throat as his second set of teeth descended. "Please..." I told him. "DON'T!" I yelled and then screamed as his teeth sunk into my palm. Everything was a blur after that.

* * *

When I woke up I was tied to a pillar. My body was hurt and I was hurt to the point where I couldn't stand. They had had their fun. Hurting me without killing me. Not turning me but feeding off of me. My left hand had a nice crescent mark where they had sunk their teeth into me. I had no way of fighting them. I was forced to watch them as they made love, as they fed off of the others, as they danced for each other. It was such a relief when the sun finally went down and Kate and another left. When she didn't return they were in defensive mode and Luther was going to do anything to get her back. He bound my hands and pulled me to my feet.

"It's time you made yourself useful." He told me.

"Trading me for Kate?" I asked him.

He shoved me against the car before another pushed me into the backseat. I felt like shit and the motion of the car was making me nauseous. I closed my eyes and was just about to drift off when the car stopped. Everyone got out of the car and then I saw headlights as another car approached. I heard him tell whoever it was to get out of the car and asked his name. I heard John's voice and suddenly felt revived.

"John!" I yelled from the car.

I saw him flinch. Luther walked around the car and pulled me out. "Does this belong to you?" He asked.

"Let her go." John told him.

"Give me Kate." Luther replied.

"Just kill her John." I told him.

"Don't." Luther said as he tightened his arm around my neck.

"Okay." John told him.

"You give me Evy and the colt and I'll let her go." John told him.

"Fine." Luther told him.

"Give her the gun." John told him. "Then let her go."

"No." Luther said putting the gun on the ground. He kicked it toward John. It stopped half way there. "Now let her go or I'll kill your girl right now." He said squeezing tighter.

John walked forward and bent down to get the gun. He almost had it when Kate broke free from her binds and hit him. Luther threw me and I hit the ground rolling. He went up to John and grabbed him throwing him into his truck. I saw him hit the window and fall to the ground unconscious.

"John!" I yelled as I scrambled toward him.

They were going to kill him when I heard the sound of arrows. I was with John when I saw Dean and Sam come rushing through the trees. John woke up as Luther held Sam. Dean couldn't do anything to stop him. John put his hand on my cheek before getting to his feet.

"Why can't you people leave us alone? We have just as much a right to live as you do." Luther told Dean.

"I don't think so." John said from behind him before shooting him with the gun.

We all watched as the gun did exactly what it was supposed to do. It killed him. Kate yelled his name. It was so full of grief that I almost felt sorry for her. I once had a glimpse of what it was like to lose the one you loved and I would never wish that upon anyone. Not even my worst enemy. Kate was about to go at John but was pulled back by one of her own.

"I'm sorry." I told her when her eyes met mine. She glowered at me before getting into the car. As soon as they were gone Dean was next to me. "I'm all right." I told him weakly.

"You're hurt." He stated.

"Thank you Captain Obvious." I smiled at him putting my hand on his cheek.

He laughed before kissing me deeply. "You always find trouble don't you?"

"Where's Coop?" I asked him.

"In the Impala. He's freaking out, just so you know." He smiled.

"He's a good dog." I stated.

"Let's get you cleaned up." He said putting his arm around my waist.

We stopped when John stepped up to me. He took my left hand in his and looked at the mark. "They fed off of you." He stated.

Dean and Sam looked horrified when I didn't correct him. "Yes, they did. They did a lot to me while I was there. They didn't get much sleep after we busted in. It wasn't so bad though." I told them.

"How could it not be?" Sam asked me.

"They didn't turn me did they?" I asked. They just looked at me. "Exactly. That's how it can not be so bad. Now, I'm exhausted and hurting. Let's get the hell out of here."

We went back to the room and Dean and I occupied the bathroom much longer then we needed to. He was gentle as we showered together, getting all the blood and dirt off my body. His lips and fingers had traced every part of me. As bad as it had been this made me happy. I loved the feel of his lips against my skin. When we finally went out Sam was packing and John wasn't there. It was time to move on. I started packing my things when the door opened and John stepped in. I was going to rush toward him but he stopped me with a look I knew well. I stayed back and gave a small smile. His expression said one thing but I knew that this was going to be okay.

"So boys." He said to them.

"Yes, sir?" Sam said.

"You ignored a direct order back there." He told them.

"Yes, sir." Sam said again.

"We saved your ass." Dean told him.

Sam looked worried and between the three of them a sort of tension set in. They were talking to John like he was their father. Not their boss. I already knew that it was going to be all right. The boys didn't look so convinced.

"You're right." John finally said.

Dean tried to suppress his shock. "I am?" He asked.

John nodded looking at the floor before meeting their eyes again. "It scares the hell out of me. You two are all I've got. But I guess we are stronger as a family. So, we go after this damn thing…together." He told them.

"Yes, sir." Both Dean and Sam said together.

I watched as their bonding moment flourished. They all were looking at each other and a smile crossed all of their faces. It was getting a little weird so I interjected.

"Um, not to break up this happy moment between all of you but uh…you've got me too." I smiled at them. "It's you three plus me."

John laughed and opened up one of his arms. I grinned and rushed into him. "Yeah, I've got you too." He said kissing the top of me head.

"We've got each other. That's all we'll ever really need." I said putting my hand on Dean's face. "Let's end this."

"Together." Sam added.

It was the most family moment I had had in a long time. We were all together. No more fighting, no more blaming. We were the strongest force the demon world would ever see. Beware to any demon that crosses our path, for you will fall among the many that came before you.


	32. Hell Hath No Fury

_**Chapter Thirty-two: Hell Hath No Fury**_

The time had come to set up for the big fight. We had the gun. We had the one thing we needed to kill Yellow-eyes once and for all. To put him into his grave before he could hurt anyone else. We had stayed in Colorado, making the motel room our own little map into the world of the yellow-eyed demon. Everything John knew was on the walls and spread out on the tables. Maps, articles, families…everything. We all shared our experiences with the demon, though John and I had far more. I had kept several of my encounters to myself. They didn't need to worry. All any of us did was worry about each other. We didn't need to worry any more then we already did. It was ridiculous. Up until now there was no way of stopping him so worry was pointless. Dean wasn't very happy with that but there was nothing he could do or say. It seemed like his sharp tongue had been hushed with his father's presence.

"Evy?" I heard Dean say through the bathroom door.

"I'm fine." I replied. Though in truth I was starting to freak out. I knew that the fight had to come to an end at some point but I was starting to get scared. For me and for my men. "I'm fine." I whispered to myself.

"Baby, open the door." Dean said after he tried the knob.

I unlocked the door and opened it. I leaned against the door frame and looked at him. I smiled and crossed my arms. "Satisfied?" I asked him.

"Never." He said putting his hand on my waist.

I put my arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. "I'm fine, okay?"

"Okay." He told me.

"Come on, your dad still has a few things to tell us." I told him and we stepped into the main room.

Both Sam and John watched us like something was going to happen. Like something needed to be said. I sat at the table and Dean stood at my side. It was a small gesture but those were the best to me.

"So this is it." John told us. "This is everything I know. Look, our whole lives we've been searching for this demon, right? Not a trace just nothing. Until about a year ago. For the first time I picked up a trail."

"That's when you took off." Dean stated.

"Yeah." John nodded. "That's right. The demon must have come out of hiding or hibernation."

"All right, so what's this trail you found?" Dean asked.

"Starts in Arizona, then New Jersey, California, houses burn down to the ground. It's going after families. Just like it went after us."

"Families with infants?" Sam asked.

I looked at him, knowing where this was going. It was something to start seeing a pattern. This wasn't just about their family, or all of the other families, but it also had to do with mine. Somehow I, too, was connected to the damn demon and whatever was happening now. I wanted answers just as badly as them. I wanted it over.

"Yeah, the night of the kids six month birthday." John replied.

I nodded, thinking of what had happened in Lawrence. Of what had happened to Sam as a baby.

Sam expression softened. "I was six months old that night?" He asked.

"Exactly six months." John replied.

"But then how do I fit into this?" I asked him. "I was three when my parents were killed and it was deemed accidental." I told him. "Yet I survived."

"I don't know." John said shaking his head. "Not everyone is the same."

"So basically this demon is going after these kids for some reason." Sam told us. "Same way it came for me?" No one said anything. "So moms death, Jessica, it's all because of me?" He asked anger in his tone.

"We don't know that, Sam." Dean told him.

"Oh really, because I'd say we're pretty damn sure, Dean!" Sam yelled at his brother.

"For the last time, what happened to them was not your fault." Dean told him.

"Yeah, you're right, it's not my fault but it's my problem." Sam shot back.

"No, it's not your problem, it's _our_ problem." Dean told him, his voice rising.

"Okay." John said standing up. "That's enough."

I stood there not knowing what to say. I wanted to see Dean's point but I was leaning toward Sam and the way he was feeling. If I had anything to do with my parents' death I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. I had grown up all right but I always resented the fact that they had died and I had lived. Why did I survive? Why didn't they get out of the house? Too many questions and only one way to answer it. One way that would never be plausible. He would die before we'd give him the chance to explain.

"So why is it doing it?" Sam asked. "What does it want?"

"Look, I wish I had more answers." John told him. "I do, I've always been one step behind it. Look, I've never gotten there in time to save…" He said and stopped.

We knew that the answer was none. They had all died. It was just proof that no matter how hard you tried you couldn't save everyone. I looked at him sadly.

"I'm sorry, John." I said softly. He just nodded at me.

"All right, so how do we find it, before it hits again?" Dean asked, breaking the silence that had followed.

"There's signs." John said looking at him. "Look, it took me awhile to see the pattern but in the days before these fires, signs crop up in an area. Cattle deaths, temperature fluctuations, electrical storms. And then I went back and checked." He said looking at the ground.

"These things happened in Lawrence." Dean stated, reading the silence.

"A week before your mother died." He replied. He then turned to Sam. "And in Palo Alto." He said and paused. "Before Jessica."

I felt the tears well in my eyes. Sam looked so sad and it took all of me not to rush over to him. He wouldn't take my sympathy anyway, not anymore. His mind was set on the task at hand and he would need his anger if he was going to make it through this.

"And these signs," John continued. "They're starting again."

"Where?" Sam said his anger still there.

"Salvation, Iowa." John told him.

We all exchanged glances before turning to the tables and the walls. I helped in silence as we repacked all of our information. The up to date history of yellow-eyes current history. My thought were with the family. Whichever it turned out to be. Hoping that we could get there in time. Hoping that they could be saved. I didn't think it was too much to ask of the universe. I prayed for a vision. Prayed for the family and for my gift to grant me this one favor. Give me the chance to save someone like me. Someone like Sam, from the demon who haunted us both.

"How are you holding up?" John asked me. I just nodded. "I know it's been a long time since we've talked about your childhood. It wasn't the brightest part about our relationship. I was bit pushy." He said and smiled.

I looked up at him. "I'm scared, John." I told him. It was obvious in my tone. "I'm scared that some of us aren't going to make it. I've seen and talked to him so much that I feel like I'm actually starting to get to know him. I feel like there is something connecting me to him. Something too strong to ignore." I said and paused. "I don't want to face him again. I don't want to see those yellow eyes again. I don't want him to survive this. Yet, at the same time, I want the opposite. My mind in conflicted, John. But most…I can't bear to see any harm come to you or your boys." I said and paused again, lowering my eyes. "To Dean."

"He'll be okay." John said putting an arm around my shoulders. "We all will."

"Promise?" I asked giving him the best smile I could.

"Promise." He replied kissing my hair.

"Okay." I said and took the pile of papers in my hand to John's folders.

"Hey." Dean said coming up to me. He buried his face in my hair. I felt the wetness in my eyes but wasn't going to give into them. "Baby…" He said as he wrapped his arms around me. I rested my head against his chest, unable to say anything. "Have I told you today how much I love you?" He asked. His tone was playful, making me look up at him. I shook my head. "Well, how stupid of me." He said and kissed me gently. "I love you, Evy Connors, more then I can say." He whispered.

"I love you too." I said though my voice gave me away. He kissed me passionately before pulling me against him. I held tight to him before pulling away. I kissed him lightly before telling him, "I need to see Sam."

He nodded and kissed my forehead before letting me go. I held his hand until I was too far away to keep it. Sam was outside, just standing, letting his mind catch up to everything that had happened. Everything that was going to happen.

"Hey." I said linking my arm to his.

"Hey." He said and kissed my hair lightly.

"I'm scared." I told him.

"Me too." He replied.

"You can handle it. I have faith in you." I told him.

"You don't think you can?" He asked.

"Tonight I feel like a helpless little girl." I replied.

"You're anything but helpless." He smiled down at me. "You're smarter then me and can fight as well as the rest of us. You'll be okay."

"I'm not smarter then you, but thanks anyway." I smiled back. There was a silence and I held tight to him. I rested my head against his arm. "What do you think it all means? What happened when we were little? Why did he come to us? What is his end game? I just wish we knew more."

He was quiet for a moment. "I don't know." He told me. "I wish I did, but I don't. I want to make this better for you." He said looking down at me. "And better for me." He added. "I just want it to be over."

"Me too." I said as the tears started.

"It's okay." He said pulling me against him. "You go ahead and cry."

He held me as I cried into him. Remembering the heat of flames. At three I didn't remember a lot but there were flashes here and there and sensations that I remembered more then pictures. Feelings that had never really gone away. I had simply suppressed them so I could do what I did. I needed to push it down, down deep, so I could handle what we did everyday. But for now I needed the comfort of someone who truly understood. Sam was my person for that and I loved him for it. He held me until I was done and waited with me so the evidence would be gone before we went back in. He managed a joke or two, lightening the moment. I thanked him and told him I loved him before we went back in. For some reason I felt like I wasn't going to get many more opportunities to say it before this was all over.

* * *

Come morning we were packed and ready to go. There was a lot that needed to be done and not enough time to do it. The signs pointed to Salvation but we didn't know exactly when he was going to strike and we had yet to find the family that he was going to hit. Doing whatever he did to the children like us. It was the only explanation. He was doing something to the children and we needed to stop it.

"Here we go." Dean smiled at me.

I smiled and kissed him deeply. "I love you." I told him softly.

"I love you too." He said locking eyes with me.

I stared into his eyes and saw everything I wanted in them. I put my hands on his chest and leaned into him, kissing him. I kept my eyes open as we kissed, him doing the same. I put my hand on his face and just looked at him, memorizing everything I could. We were interrupted by John and soon we were all on the road, destination Salvation, Iowa.

"Cooper." I said, frowning at the dog. He was whining in the back seat, had been for most of the trip. "If you're trying to tell me something I don't understand. Just please be quiet. I don't have the patience today." He laid down and rested his head on his paws. Sam put his hand on him and the dog leaned into him.

"Are you sure you're okay? You seem really on edge." Dean stated.

"Yeah, I am." I replied. "This thing has been all we've been breathing for months and now it's finally coming to an end. It's a big battle and I just hope that we all make it through in one piece."

"We will." He replied taking my hand.

I smiled at him and put my other hand over his. "I'm just worried, is all."

"We're going to be all right." He smiled.

I smiled back before Dean put on the brakes, we had just reached Salvation. John was pulling off of the road. We followed and when we stopped and got out John was looking more upset then I had seen in a long time. A pit fell in my stomach and I looked at Dean before back at John.

"Damn it." John said as he slammed the door.

"What is it?" Dean asked going up to his father.

"That sonofabitch!" John said hitting the back of his truck.

"What is it?" Dean asked again.

"I just got a call from Caleb." John told him.

"Is he okay?" Dean asked.

"He's fine." John replied. "Jim Murphy's dead."

"Pastor Jim?" Sam asked. "How?"

"Throat was slashed. He bled out." John replied.

"My God…" I said and looked between all of them. Jim had been a good friend of John's for a long time. The boys had grown up knowing him. The poor man.

"Caleb said they found traces of sulfur at Jim's place." John told them.

"The demon." Dean stated. John nodded. "_The_ demon?" He asked.

"I don't know." John replied.

"Why would he?" I asked. "Why now?"

"Could be he got careless. He just slipped up." John replied. "Maybe the demon knows we're getting close."

I just looked at him, not knowing what to say.

"What do you want to do?" Dean asked quickly.

"Now we act like every second counts." John replied. There's two hospitals and the health center in this county. We split up, cover more ground. I want records. I want of list of every infant that's going to be six months old in the next week."

"Dad that could be dozens of kids." Sam stated. "How the hell are we going to know which ones the right one?"

"We'll check them all, that's how." John said his anger back. Sam looked skeptical. "You got any better ideas?" John asked him.

Sam looked at Dean before saying, "No, sir."

We all looked at each other before John nodded at Dean. He returned it and turned back toward the car. I was about to slide back in but there was something about John's attitude that made me continue to watch him. Dean seemed to notice it too.

"Dad?" He asked.

John nodded and turned back toward them. "Yeah." He said looking off into the trees. "It was Jim." He said. His eyes were wet. I closed the door and started to walk over to him. "Now I can't…" He said and paused before his face grew hard again. "This ends now." He told us. "I'm ending it. I don't care what it takes." He said turning back to his truck.

I looked at Dean and he nodded. I ran to John's truck and opened the passenger door before jumping into it. John looked at me but he didn't say anything as he started the truck and got back onto the main road.

"Are you okay?" I finally asked him.

"No." He replied.

"What can I do, John? I hate seeing you like this." I said looking at him.

"The only thing that will make it better is when the demon is dead." He replied.

"I'm sorry John. I know what Jim meant to you." I told him sympathetically.

"I'm sorry too." He replied and took my hand in his.

I squeezed it and didn't let go until we had reached the first hospital. He dropped me off before going to the second. The boys had the health center and with the three of us we'd have the information we needed quickly.

* * *

Cooper was happily smelling the ground as we walked through the town. I was waiting for him to tell me if anything was wrong but nothing seemed to be. Everything was as normal as normal could be. That was until a familiar voice caught me ears. Cooper stopped and trotted back up to me. He looked at the demon and growled sharply.

"What the hell do you want?" I immediately yelled at him. "We're coming for you." I said turning to him. "We're coming and you better be afraid because we are going to end you." I told him harshly.

"I don't think so, Evy." He grinned.

"You're not going to win. You will never be able to win." I told him.

"Ah, but I disagree. I have a feeling that your little boy toy as well as John and little Sammy won't be able to lift a finger against me." He replied, circling me.

"What do you want?" I asked him again.

"I don't want anything from you…tonight." He grinned.

"Then just go away." I told him.

"You know what I'm wondering?" He asked raising his hand, his finger extended toward me. "Why aren't you calling your boys? Telling them where I am?" I didn't say anything. "If you have the means to kill me then why don't you?" He asked.

I lowered my eyes and didn't say anything. I whipped a knife from my jeans and stabbed it into his belly. I knew that it wasn't going to kill him, but it would give me a certain level of satisfaction. Even if I did call my men they wouldn't get here in time. The knife cut into him like butter and for a moment I thought he wasn't going to react.

"That wasn't very nice." He stated, as he pulled himself off of it. "Now why would you do that?"

"I guess I'm just ornery." I frowned at him.

I didn't think he was going to touch me. If he hadn't I might have thought something horrible about him. More horrible then I already did. I didn't want to even think that he had grown some kind of attachment toward me. It would be unethical and morose. Just when I thought he was going to just let me get away with it he backhanded me. It was hard. The last thing I heard was Cooper's barking before I blacked out.

I woke up to Cooper licking my face. I looked around but there was no one there. I quickly got to my feet before running back to the hotel. When I walked into the room John had Sam's phone pressed to his ear, sadness written across his face. Dean rushed to me and accessed the damage. I could feel the blood flowing down my face. He grabbed a rag and we waited for John to hang up the phone. A moment later he did.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"It's happening tonight." I told him.

"What?" He asked stepping toward me.

"It has to be. He knows we're here. I don't know how, but he does." I replied.

"Did he do this to you?" Dean asked angrily. I nodded. "That sonofabitch." He said and his jaw clenched.

"I'm okay." I told him.

"We knew it was tonight." John told me.

"How?" I asked.

"Sam had a vision." John replied.

"So you know who it is?" I asked Sam. He nodded. "Good." I replied. "That's real good." John didn't look happy. "What is it?" I asked him.

"They just killed Caleb." John replied.

"John…" I said rushing to him. I put my arms around him and he hugged me tightly.

It had been Meg. The same Meg who they had a run in with a while back. The same one that they had thrown out of a window. John explanation was that she was a demon, or possessed by a demon. Either way, it fit what was happening. She wanted him to go to Lincoln to hand over the colt or she'd continue to kill his friends. John had lost so much. It was inevitable when he told us he was going to Lincoln.

"What?" Dean asked.

"It doesn't seem like I have a choice." John replied. "If I don't go, a lot of people die, our friends die."

"Dad the demon is coming tonight." Sam reminded him. "For Monica and her family. That gun is all we got. You can't just hand it over."

"Who said anything about handing it over?" John asked. "Look, besides us and a couple of vampires no one has really seen the gun, no one knows what it looks like." He told us.

"So what, you're just going to pick up a ringer at a pon shop?" Dean asked.

"Antique store." John replied.

"You're going to hand Meg a fake gun and hope she doesn't notice?" Dean asked.

"Look, as long as it's close, she shouldn't be able to tell the difference." John told them.

"Yeah, but for how long?" Dean asked. "What happens when she figures it out?"

"It's too risky." I told him.

"I just need to buy a few hours that's all." He replied.

I felt my face fall as I realized what he meant. "John…no." I told him.

"You mean for Dean and me." Sam stated. John's silence said that he was right.

"Please, John." I told him. He just looked at me.

"You want us to stay here." Sam continued. "And kill this demon by ourselves?"

"No, Sam, I want to stop losing people we love." John replied with pain in his voice. "I want you to go to school. I want Dean to have a home…" He said and turned toward the window. His next words broke as they came out. "I want Mary alive." He said and paused before turning back to us. "I just…I just want this to be over."

There was nothing else that could be said. John was going and we were staying. Though the more I thought about it the more I realized that we couldn't send John by himself. I didn't care what the demon wanted. They would just have to deal with whatever came. I had made the decision to go with him. Though they wouldn't know that until it was too late to stop me.

* * *

I wasn't used to the whole sneaking around thing when it came to the Winchesters but this had to be done. Cooper's tail was thumping on the bed of the truck as we held our position among John's things. The cover was pulled over the truck so it was impossible to be seen unless he decided to put something in the back. It took me ages to get it back on once my dog and I had slipped into it, but now we were set and we'd wait at least a few hours before showing ourselves. He would have to stop for gas at some point.

"I really have to pee." I told Cooper as we tried to relax. He whined. "Yeah, I bet you do too."

Only minutes later I felt the truck slow and we pulled off somewhere. I waited for the door to shut and his footsteps to fade before I sprung us from our hiding spot. We were at a gas station and I quickly slipped inside to use the restroom, leaving Cooper outside to do the same. I bought a cup of coffee and some jerky for me and Coop before going back out to the truck. John was putting gas in but hadn't seemed to notice us. Cooper came from around the building when I came out. He trotted to my side and took a series of deep breaths before showing myself. He was just putting the cap on the tank when he glanced over and saw us walking toward him. His eyes locked on me and I averted mine as we closed the gap. When I was almost to him he slammed the nozzle into the handle so hard that I jumped and took a step back rather then one forward.

"I know you're mad." I told him.

"Mad?" He asked calmly. Only it was the calm before the storm. He walked up to me and grabbed my arm so hard that it took all of me not to cry out. He pulled me to the truck and he slammed my back against the truck. "What are you doing here?" He whispered harshly as he slammed his hands on the truck on either side of me. "What were you thinking?" He said his voice rising.

"Calm down. It's not that big of a deal." I told him.

"Not a big deal? Not a big deal!" He yelled and kicked the nearest trashcan.

"John!" I said and grabbed his arm. "Keep your voice down."

"Why are you here?" He asked me. "You left a note saying that you didn't want to see me off, that you took Cooper for a walk." He told me.

"Yeah, I left a note." I told him. "Then I climbed into the back of your truck and now we're here."

"Why would you do that?" He asked grabbing both my arms.

"John, stop it." I told him, his grip hurt.

He frowned but let me go. He put his hands on either side of me again. He closed his eyes and looked at the ground. I put my hands on the sides of his head and kissed the back of it. I knew he was going to be angry but this was even a little more then what I was expecting.

"You were stupid to follow me." He told me, looking me in the eyes. His expression was sad.

"I couldn't let you go alone. Not again." I told him. He just shook his head. "We are stronger together. The boys can handle the demon on their own. Two and two, that's the way it should be."

"No." He said shaking his head. He took out his phone. I knew who he was calling.

"Don't…" I said stopping him. "I'll call him. Just give yourself a chance to calm down. There's no time to do anything about this. I'm going and that's final." He just shook his head again. "Take a walk. I'll call Dean." I told him. He nodded and walked away, Cooper trotted at his side. I took my phone out and took a deep breath as I listened to it ring. "Hey." I said when he answered. Silence was on the other end. "I know you're angry but I had to do this. I had to back him up. I thought you'd be happy that he wasn't alone." I told him.

"Not if it risks you." He told me.

"I'm fine. I've got Coop." I smiled into the phone.

"That dog is not going to be around forever. You need to be more careful." He said, though his tone still had anger in it.

"I'm with your dad." I reminded him.

"And what if this whole thing goes south? It's going to and you know it." He told me. His anger flaring. "Meg is going to realize that the gun is a fake and both of you are going to be in danger. What if she does something to you? Huh? Did you ever think of that?"

"I was thinking that with two of us we've doubled our chances at getting out. I'll hang back and let your dad do everything. I'll only show myself if needed. I'm back up. I don't intend on being in a fight today. I'm just looking out for your dad." I replied.

"If anything happens to you, so help me God…" He said and stopped.

"Dean…" I said and paused. "I love you. Just please be safe and I will do the same." I told him.

"Love you." He said softly.

"You're dad's already reamed me out and he's on his way back. I better go." I told him.

"Please be careful." He told me pleadingly.

"Always." I smiled. "You too."

I hung up the phone just as John stepped up to me. "Fine, I can't do anything about it but you better listen to me." He told me angrily. "You listen and do exactly what I tell you."

"Okay." I told him.

"You stay in the shadows unless something happens." He added.

"That's my plan." I replied.

He nodded and got into the truck. I went around to the other side doing the same. Cooper was sitting in the middle. He was blocking John so I couldn't tell if his anger was lingering or if he was calming down. I knew that this was a bad idea but it had to be done.

We were silent until we reached the meeting location in Lincoln. An old warehouse. I knew that John was supposed to come alone but they wouldn't know I was there. We were early and it seemed like the place was quiet. Besides, John had a plan but it mainly consisted of me going to the roof and watching and shooting if anything went wrong. I convinced him that Cooper should go with him. He was just a dog. She shouldn't be pissed if he brought a dog. I gave the dog the order to stay quiet and stay still. Watch, don't attack. He knew what I meant. My tone telling him if anything.

"I don't like this." He told me.

"Let's just get it done." I replied.

"Evy…" He said putting his hand on my arm. "If anything should happen…" He said and paused.

"Don't…" I told him sternly. "Anything you say is going to sound like 'goodbye'. No one is dying today." He nodded. I nodded too and knelt in front of my dog. I pulled him against me and ran my hands up and down his body. I kissed his head and pulled gently on his ears. "You take care of him, okay?" He licked my wrist. I smiled and let him lick my chin. "Be good." I smiled and stood. "Be safe." I told John before walking away.

I had a shot gun in had and two handguns waiting to be used. They felt heavy in the back of my pants but that was the best place to keep them. Easy access and my jacket pockets were full of mages. I circled the building before finding my way up to the roof. I'd sneak in from above if I needed to. I had my sites on John momentarily before he disappeared into the building. I moved through a window onto the upper levels of the warehouse. I saw the blond below and took my place where I could see her well. A moment later John walked in.

"John, you made it." She told him. "Too bad, really, I was hoping to kill more of your friends."

"Sorry to disappoint." John replied.

"Nice dog." She added. John remained silent. "I can see where your boys get their good looks." She said sweetly. Cooper growled. My stomach tightened by he didn't make a move. "Easy Cujo." She told him.

I listened to them talk. She taunted him but he remained quiet. She asked for the gun and he stalled as best he could. It seemed to be going all right until someone else appeared from the shadows. This wasn't expected and my hands tightened on the gun. I saw him hand over the fake and she handed it to the man who had appeared. They did recognize it. To test it he shot Meg. She felt the pain but other then that she was just really pissed off. She still lived telling them that it was a fake. John was in trouble now. I didn't want to act too soon but it was time. They were just beginning to argue when I aimed for Meg's back and let the bullet fly. It hit her in the back and she fell forward. The man looked to where the shot had come from. The distraction let John and Cooper run. I stood and made my own exit, though before I knew below me was empty and they were nowhere in site. A slight panic started to fill me as I walked along the grates leading the window. Before I made it I was grabbed from behind and thrown over the edge. I hit some machinery before hitting the ground. I landed and though the pain was great it didn't appear that anything was broken. I scrambled to my feet and heard barking as Cooper came into view. I was released and the next thing I knew Meg was in front of me and I flew back against the wall, pinned. The force was so great that it took all of me to breath. The man had disappeared, leaving just Meg and me. Cooper leapt at her and with her other hand she threw him across the floor. She let me drop and I rushed toward my dog. She caught me by the hair and forced me to my knees. The man had reappeared with John over his shoulder. My eyes grew wide as he dropped him on the ground. He then turned to Cooper. He was trying to crawl into the shadows but he couldn't make it.

"No!" I yelled. "Please, just leave him alone!"

"Is he was matters to you?" Meg asked gripping my chin. "Your little puppy?"

"Please…" I said pleadingly.

She looked at the man and gave a subtle nod. He grinned and grabbed Cooper by the leg; I heard the snap as he howled in pain. He threw him across the room.

"NO!" I screamed. "PLEASE!"

I was forced to watch as he fetched my dog again, bringing him into my sites. He looked at me as he broke his other three legs. He took a knife out of his pocket and sliced it down Cooper's side. Blood started to flow over the ground. There was nothing I could do.

"Please!" I cried tears streaming as I watched. "Please stop!" It did nothing. I felt useless. I tried to build up enough strength to do something…anything. I watched as the man sliced Cooper's other side. "NO!" I screamed as I thrust my hand out toward him. To my utter shock the man flew across the room. It made Meg falter and I elbowed her hard, making her let me go. I rushed forward and took Cooper's head in my hands. I sobbed as I stroked his head. "I'm sorry. Oh God, I'm so sorry." I cried as I stoked him. I buried my face in his fur, kissing his head. He whined and his tongue weakly licked my arm as his tail managed a thump on the ground. I smiled at him and kissed his nose. "I love you sweet boy." I whispered, kissing his head again. I was only with him a minute or so before I was grabbed and thrown again. Stars clouded my vision but was conscious long enough to hear another snap and Cooper scream before everything went black.


	33. Resilience

**Disclaimer: Nothing from the show Supernatural belongs to me.**

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_**Chapter Thirty-three: Resilience**_

When I woke up I was tied to a chair. An experience I was far too sick of. I wanted to be strong but the remembrance of what they did to Cooper was enough to send me over the edge. The tears were starting to stream before I could even remember everything that had happened. I heard footsteps and soon a man lifted my chin up. His eyes were black. I knew what he was. I didn't have the energy to deal with him. He didn't seem to want any more to do with me.

"Where's John?" I asked him.

He looked at a woman who was sitting at a table. She nodded and he untied me. I fell forward onto my hands and knees. He grabbed my hair and pulled me backward. I hit the floor hard on my back, hitting my head on the floor. Spots covered my vision and he tied my wrists and then my ankles. He dragged me to a bedroom door and opened it, throwing me into it. I stumbled forward. I watched him close the door before looking at the bed. John was tied to it. I stumbled as fast as I could to the bed, kneeling next to it. He was unconscious. I put my hands on his face. He was still breathing.

"John? John, wake up." I said as tears started to stream again. "Please wake up." I said and rested my head on his chest, crying hard.

I fell backward against the wall as the tears came hot and fast. I fell onto my side and pulled my legs into me, burying my face in my hands. I didn't remember them stopping but blackness came over me. I wasn't sure if I was actually unconscious or if the emotional overload was finally too much for my body to handle. I was only vaguely aware when the fire alarm started to sound. There was commotion in the main room but I still wasn't registering any of it. The sounds were muffled and then the door opened.

"Evy…" I heard my name but didn't look up. "God, you're shaking."

I slowly lifted my head and looked into Dean's face. It was then that I realized that I was shaking so badly. The tears were refreshed and I started to sob into him. Dean held me for a moment before letting me go; cutting the ropes that bound me.

"We have to go." He told me. "Where's Cooper?" He asked.

The tears didn't stop but I tried to control them. My lip was shaking so hard that it took me a moment to get it out. "He killed him." I finally got out. "The man that was with Meg. He broke his legs! He slashed his sides!" I cried. "The last thing I remember is him howling in pain!" I said gripping his shirt.

He looked at me sympathetically. "Oh, baby, I'm…I'm so sorry." He said sadly.

Sam had John sitting on the edge of the bed. He was groggy but there was no time to get our bearings. We needed to move. We were just leaving the room when two men came through, their eyes as black as night. Sam turned around and locked the bedroom door, laying a half-circle of salt around the door. It gave us enough time to get out of the window and down the fire escape. I fell the last few steps but Dean was at my side a second later.

"You have to hold on." He told me with his hand on my face. "You have to stay with me."

"I'm right here baby." I said giving him the best smile I could as I rested my hands on his chest. "I'm just so tired." I frowned as I leaned back against the wall. Sam went to see if the coast was clear when he was sidelined by the man who had killed Cooper. "That's him." I told Dean. Sam was on the ground and Dean quickly went to help him. The demon was strong. He threw Dean against a windshield. "DEAN!" I screamed, reaching out for him. I was too weak to even get to my feet. "SAM!" I screamed as I watched the demon continuously hit him.

Though a moment later a bullet went through the demon's head. A little light show as it killed him and he fell to the side. The demon was gone and just the man remained, blood seeping out onto the pavement. Dean helped Sam to his feet before they helped John and me to ours. We left as fast as we could. Once we were in the impala I felt safe. John and I were in the backseat with the brothers in the front. We were barely on the road when I lost consciousness.

* * *

When I woke up John was lying next to me. He was still asleep. I still felt like crap and the fact that Cooper was dead didn't help anything. I had lost my most precious possession. I loved that dog. I loved him so much. It was a lot to take in. Of all of us not to make it Cooper was the most expendable but it didn't make it any easier. I rolled onto my side and waited for the dizziness to stop before I opened my eyes again. They were wet and I almost felt like I was going to start crying again. I didn't want to cry anymore. I was so sick of crying. I looked at John and put my hand on his cheek, turning his face toward me. His brows furrowed before it smoothed again. I ran my thumb back and forth across his face. I smiled as I looked at him. He'd been through so much. I took a deep breath, letting it out slowly so my ribs didn't hurt as bad. I leaned forward and kissed his forehead before slowly getting out of the bed.

"Hey you." Dean smiled when I closed the door behind me.

"Hey baby." I smiled as I made my way over to him.

"Jeez, you're a walking bruise." Sam pointed out.

"You're looking a little purple yourself." I replied.

I was to Dean by then and he gently pulled me against him. I put my arms around him. He sat on the desk and pulled me onto his lap. I held tight to him. He was gentle as he ran his fingers up and down my spine. I put my hand on the back of his head, gripping his hair. I buried my face in his neck and felt my body shake slightly. His grip tightened ever so slightly. It hurt but I needed him. I needed to feel him against me. I needed to feel safe.

"You're going to be okay." He whispered to me.

"I know." I told him. "As long as I'm with you."

I leaned away from him, putting my forehead against his. I ran my fingers down his face and kissed him deeply. He tried to be gentle but I kissed him deeper and he pulled me tightly against him. My body wanted to say 'no' but my mind needed it. I needed this.

"Hey…" Dean said pulling me away from him. "Hey." He whispered and ran his fingers down my face, resting it on my neck. "You need to rest." He told me.

I laughed and looked at him. "That's sounds familiar." I smiled at him.

"Maybe a little." He smiled as he put my hair behind my ear.

He stood up with me in his arms. He turned and put me in a chair before getting me a glass of water. I drank it slowly and felt both their eyes on me. I looked between them. After a moment I smiled and shook my head at them.

"Guys, I'm fine." I told them. "Yes, I'm hurt, but it's not the worst it's been." They didn't say anything. "Seriously." I told Dean. "I'm going to be fine. It takes a lot more to kill me."

"You're indestructible." John said coming out of the room.

"John…" I said looking at him.

"I'm okay." He smiled at me.

Dean and Sam stood and faced their father. I knew what Dean was thinking. Every bullet counted and he had used one for his brother. The odd small talk started, but John didn't seem upset.

"You're not mad?" Dean asked him.

"Mad? I'm proud of you." John told him. I just looked at him. _Wow._ I thought not wanted to say it out loud. "You know, Sam and I, we can get pretty obsessed. But you…you watch out for this family." He said and paused. "You always have."

I got up from my chair and walked next to Dean. I put my arm though his and laced our fingers. He didn't look at me but he held tight to my hand. After a moment he said, "Thanks."

Then the light started to flicker. "Dean…" I said worriedly.

We all looked at each other and followed John as he walked to the window. "It found us. It's here." He told us alarmed.

"The demon." Sam stated.

"Dean." I said meeting his eyes.

"It's okay." He told me squeezing my hand.

"Sam, lines of salt, in front of every window every door." John told him.

"Already did it." Sam replied.

I took a deep breath as I felt my nerves start to kick in. "Something's not right." I whispered to Dean. He nodded.

"Check it, okay?" John told Sam.

"Okay." Sam nodded and turned away.

"You got the gun?" John asked Dean.

"Yeah." Dean nodded.

"Give it to me." John told him, holding out his hand.

"Yeah, Sam tried to shoot the demon in Salvation. It vanished." Dean told him as he pulled the gun from the back of his pants. I frowned at him. He just shrugged.

"This is me, I won't miss." John told him. "Now the gun. Hurry." He said sternly.

I gripped Dean's arm just as he faltered with the gun in his hands. Something was wrong. John was being John. Dean looked at me then the gun before looking back at his father.

"Son, please." John told him his hand held out for the gun. Dean took a few steps away from him. "Give me the gun. What are you doing, Dean?" John said angrily.

I looked at John and moved partially behind Dean. "He'd be furious." Dean told his father.

"What?" John asked.

"That I wasted a bullet. He wouldn't be proud of me, he'd tear me a new one." He replied. It took him only a moment longer before he raised the gun, pointing it at John. "You're not my dad." He told him.

I knew he was right. He had to be. Something was off and it was clear now that John wasn't John at the moment.

"Evy, talk some sense into your boy." John told me.

"You're not John." I told him. "You're _him._"

"Dean it's me." John told him.

"I know my dad better than anyone." Dean replied. "And you ain't him."

"What the hells gotten into you?" John asked him.

"I could ask you the same thing." Dean shot back.

"Dean…" I said softly. He just moved me further behind him.

"Evy…" John said looking at me. I just shook my head.

"Stay back." Dean told him.

I looked as Sam came back into the room. "Dean, what the hell is going on?" He asked his brother.

"Your brother's lost his mind." John replied.

"He's not dad." Dean replied.

"He's right." I told him.

"What?" Sam said shocked.

"I think he's possessed." Dean told him. "I think he's been possessed since we rescued him."

"Don't listen to him, Sammy." John told him.

"Sam." I said looking at him.

"Dean, how do you know?" Sam asked.

"'Cause he's…he's different." Dean told him, though his tone wasn't so sure anymore.

"You know, we don't have time for this." John told us. "Sam, if you want to kill this demon you're going to have to trust me." Sam looked at all of us. Dean glanced at his brother. John looked at him, "Sam."

Sam looked between us all and saw what we did. He looked at his father, "No. No."

He moved over to us. I grabbed his shirt and pulled him over. He put his arm around me as we all looked at John.

"Fine." John finally said. "You're both so sure. Go ahead, kill me."

I faltered at his expression and the tone of his voice. I wanted to move forward but Sam held tight to me. "John…" I said even though I knew it wasn't him right now. I still wanted to try and make it okay.

John lowered his head, as if Dean were actually going to shoot him. I was nervous. I didn't know anymore. I wasn't sure and it seemed that neither was Dean. Then John spoke again. "I thought so." He said in a deeper tone. He looked up at us and his eyes were yellow.

"No!" I said putting my hand over my mouth. "John…"

The next thing we knew we were being pinned against the walls by some invisible force. The gun hit the ground as Dean was thrown back. The demon stepped and picked it up. "What a pain in the ass this thing's been." He said and looked at Sam.

"It's you, isn't it?" Sam asked it.

I knew that it was. I had talked to him far too often not to recognize his speech. He just grinned at Sam.

"We've been looking for you for a long time." Sam told him.

"Well, you found me." He grinned back.

"But the holy water…" Sam said looking at him.

"You think something like that works on something like me?" The demon asked.

Sam tried to free himself but it was no use. The demon was too powerful for any of us to get free from. "I'm going to kill you!" Sam told him.

"Oh, that'd be a neat trick." I demon told him.

"Stop it." I forced out, though the pressure against me was painful.

He ignored me. "In fact, here, make the gun float to you there, Mr. Psychic Boy." Sam looked at the gun but nothing happened. The demon stared at him a moment before walking around the small table. "Well, this is fun." He said walking over to Dean. "You know, I could have killed you a hundred times today. But this…this is worth the wait." He said and looked at Dean. "Your dad, he's in here with me. Trapped inside his own meat suit. He says 'hi' by the way."

"Stop it." I told him again.

"Not your turn, Evy." He told me as the pressure on my chest intensified.

He looked back at Dean. "He's going to tear you apart." He told him. "He's going to taste the iron in your blood."

"Let him go or I swear to God…" Dean said and stopped.

"What?" The demon asked. "What are you and _God_ going to do? You see, as far as I'm concerned, this is justice." He told him. "You know that little exorcism of yours? That was my daughter. The one in the alley? That was my boy. You understand?"

"You gotta be kidding me." Dean replied.

"What? You're the only one who can have a family? You destroyed my children. How would you feel if I killed your family?" Dean didn't say anything. "Oh, that's right, I forgot I did. Still, two wrongs don't make a right." He smiled and took a step back.

"You sonofabitch." Dean said staring at him.

"I wanna know why." Sam spoke up from behind them. "Why'd you do it?"

"You mean why'd I kill mommy and pretty little Jess?" The demon asked turning to look at him.

"Yeah." Sam replied.

I listened as the demon let loose a secret about Sam. How he had been looking for wedding rings not long before Jess died. How he was going to ask her to marry him. Tears were in my eyes as I listened. Sam's expression told me that it was true. But it wasn't just the ring. He had killed them because they were in the way. In the way of the plans that the demon has for Sam and for all the other children like him.

"Then what about me?" I asked him. "Do I fall into the same category?"

"Almost." He said finally turning to me. He stepped up and ran his fingers down my cheek.

"Don't you touch her!" Dean yelled.

"You, I just keep around 'cause you're so damn pretty." He grinned at me.

"You sonofabitch." I said and spit in his face.

"You're a spitfire. That's why I like you." He told me.

There was a small pause before Dean broke it. "You mind just getting this over with now, 'cause I really can't stand the monolog anymore."

"Funny!" The demon said facing him again. "But that's all part of your MO isn't it? Mask all that nasty pain. Mask the truth." He told him.

"Oh yeah, what's that?" Dean replied.

"You know, you fight and you fight for this family but the truth is, they don't need you. Not like you need them."

"That's not true!" I yelled. "Stop it!"

"Sam…he's clearly John's favorite. Even when they fight, it's more concern then he ever shown you."

"It's not true." I told him again. "John loves his boys." He glanced at me before looking back at Dean.

Dean looked at me before looking at the demon. He smiled and told him, "I bet you're real proud of your kids too, huh? Oh wait I forgot, I wasted 'em."

"Dean?" I said softly. The demon stepped back and looked down before looking back at Dean. Dean gasped with pain as something started to pour from his chest. "DEAN!" I yelled as I watched the blood pour down his shirt. "Please stop! Please! PLEASE!" I screamed but the demon just went deeper as Dean continued to gasp with pain. Blood was coming from his mouth now. "Dean! Please!"

"Dad! Dad! Don't you let it kill me." He said looking at the demon. "Dad, please." Dean said as another wave of pain hit him.

The blood continued to pour from his chest and his mouth. His eyes slowly closed as his head fell forward. "DEAN! NO! No, oh God!" I yelled as I looked at him.

Sam was yelling out as well and for a moment I heard John's voice. For a moment he was in control. The pressure released and I fell to the ground. I saw Sam grab the gun but I was already scrambling over to Dean. He was still pinned to the wall. I put my hands on his face. "Dean, baby, wake up." I told him as I ran my fingers through his hair. "Baby, wake up." I said as I let a few silent sobs out. "Please…" I cried and put my hands on his chest resting my forehead against them. I started to cry. I didn't stop until a gun shot rang in the room. I saw the sparks as John fell to the floor. Dean was released and he gasped for air. "Thank God." I said and lifted him into my arms. "Oh Dean." I said and ran my fingers through his hair. "Are you okay?" I asked him.

"Hey, Dean? Oh God. You've lost a lot of blood." Sam said as he came over. I just looked at him and held Dean tightly against me.

"Where's dad?" He asked his brother.

"He's right here. He's right here, Dean." Sam told him.

"Go check on him." Dean told him. "Go check on him." He repeated when Sam didn't move.

I watched as Sam slowly walked over to his father. He looked down at him. John appeared to be unconscious.

"Dad?" Sam asked.

"It's okay." I told Dean. "Everything's going to be fine."

"Are you okay?" He asked weakly.

"Don't worry about me." I told him with a smile. He smiled back and put his hand on my face. I kissed him deeply before putting my forehead to his. "I love you."

"I love you too." He told me.

"SAMMY!" John's voice yelled into the room.

Both Dean and I jumped and Dean tried to sit up. "No." I told him but watched as Sam looked down at his father.

"It's still alive." John told him. "It's inside me, I can feel it. You shoot me. You shoot me!" He told his son. "You shoot me in the heart son." John told him. Sam cocked the colt and aimed it at his father. "Do it now!"

"Sam, don't you do it." Dean told him.

"Sam!" I yelled at him.

"SAM!" John yelled.

"Don't you do it." Dean repeated.

"You gotta hurry!" John told him. "I can't hold onto it much longer. You shoot me son. SHOOT ME!" He hollered. I couldn't see the look on Sam's face but I could only imagine how tortured it looked right now. "Son, I'm begging you, we can end this here and now. Sammy!"

"Sam, no." Dean said weakly.

"Sam, please." I told him.

"You do this!" John said, his face in agony. "Sammy!" Sam lowered the gun. "Sam. Sam."

As soon as the gun was lowered it seemed as if John gave in and then he yelled out as a stream of black smoke billowed from his mouth. As soon as it was out it disappeared into the floorboards. John looked at Sam and shook his head before resting it back against the floor. Sam looked so angry at himself, but how could John expect his own son to shoot him in the heart. He would have been dead. No one would be able to do it. No one. Sam and I helped Dean and John to the car. Both were in serious need of medical attention. I sat in the back with Dean. He was propped against the window. I held a cloth to his chest but didn't know if I was helping anything.

"Look, just hold on, all right. The hospital is only ten minutes away." Sam told us.

"Hurry Sam." I told him. I looked back at Dean. "You're going to be okay." I said softly as I kissed his head. He didn't say anything. "I love you."

He turned his head and gave me his infamous half smile. He put his hand on my face. "I love you too." I smiled and kissed him deeply. Though up front there was more hostility than anything.

"I'm surprised at you, Sammy." John told him. "Why didn't you kill it?" He asked. "I thought we saw eye to eye on this, killing this demon comes first. Before me before everything."

I looked at Dean who was looking at his brother in the rearview mirror. I ran my fingers through his hair and kissed it gently.

"No sir." Sam told his father. "Not before everything. Look, we still have the colt, we have the one bullet left. We just have to start over, all right? I mean we already found the demon once…"

I was watching Dean but as Sam talked a light caught my eyes. I turned just in time to see two large headlights coming right at us before it hit us broadside. I didn't have a seatbelt on to better tend to Dean. I flew against the other side of the car, my head impacting with the window. I remembered be jostled around before finally laying rest on the back seat. I remembered the sound of trickling before everything went black.


	34. Epilogue

**Disclaimer: See previous chapters.**

**A/N: Well folks, here it is. This is the final chapter. I hope you enjoy it. =]**

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_**Chapter Thirty-four: Epilogue**_

My eyes were closed. I wasn't sure where I was. Something was wrong. Something had happened that I wasn't sure of. There was a feeling that I should be afraid, that I should be worrying about something. I felt like I should be doing something that was just out of reach. Even though I seemed to know all of this, I felt safe and warm. I felt like I was in the right place. A warm breeze flowed over me. I furrowed my brows and opened my eyes. All I could see was field covered with yellow wild flowers. I frowned and turned in a circle. There was a large elm tree just yards away from me. The sky was a wonderful blue with only a scarce amount of clouds covering it. I took a deep breath, the smell of the flowers intoxicating. I felt something strange pulling at me. Something I just couldn't place. I was about to move forward when I heard barking. I stopped and frowned as I turned toward the sound. A moment later I saw him. I couldn't believe my eyes. I saw him moving through the field, running at top speed. A smile spread across my face as I ran toward him. I knelt as he barreled into me. He flattened me as he lay across my chest. His tongue moved over my face as I laughed. I wrapped my arms around him, ecstatic to have him back. I pushed him off and moved onto my knees. I took his head in my hands and kissed his muzzle.

"Hey baby." I smiled as I stroked him. He gave a short whine and licked my face again. "I missed you. I'm sorry about what happened." He whined again before his ear turned backward and he turned and looked. I hadn't noticed his arrival but I looked up and my breath caught in my throat. "Jim…" I said airily as he walked toward me.

"Hi." He said somewhat awkwardly.

"Hi." I said staring at him. "How…?" I said though I didn't even know what to ask.

"Do you remember what happened?" He asked.

I tried to think but everything was a bit fuzzy. Then something hit me. "Dean…" I said and turned around, frantically trying to remember what happened, where he was. "Where is Dean?" I said turning to Jim.

He gave me a sad smile. "He's not here." He told me.

"_Where _is he?" I asked him again.

"What do you remember?" He asked me.

I looked at Cooper. I tried to remember what happened. "We were in the car. The demon had been in John…" I said and stopped. "The semi hit us." I said looking up at Jim. "There was a lot of pain and then nothing." He just looked at me. A sense of realization hit me. I looked at Cooper and then back at Jim. There was only one reason I was having this conversation. Tears came to my eyes as I closed them. I opened them and looked at him. "I died, didn't I?" I asked him. He just gave me another sad smile. "Okay." I said and looked at the ground. Cooper leaned against me. I smiled and stroked his head. "It's okay." I said and turned away from them. I walked across the field and let silent tears fall. I was dead. Dead…no longer of the living. It was a strange reality. I sat and stared across the endless field. Cooper sat at my side and looked out with me. I stroked my hand down his back before pulling him against me. Soon I heard Jim sigh before he sat at my other side. "So is this supposed to be heaven?" I asked him.

"I guess so." He replied.

"You guess so?" I asked looking at him.

"It's different for everyone." He told me. "You control the way your heaven is."

"So I made it like this?" I asked him.

He nodded. I didn't say anything. "Isn't this what you wanted?" He asked. "I don't remember this field."

"You wouldn't." I told him. "This was before our time. My dad had found this field at some point when I was young. Not long before they died. I have a picture of it somewhere. For a while I carried it around with me everywhere. It was of me and my parents in this very field. It's one of the few memories I have of them. Nearly the only one." I said and looked at him.

"Alright. That explains the field and me. I guess you got a dog huh?" He said looking at Cooper.

"Yup. He died a few days before…I did, I guess." I told him as I hugged my dog. "He was murdered by a demon."

"A demon?" Jim said looking at me.

"You wouldn't believe what I've been doing." I grinned at him.

"I'm not sure if I want to know." He told me. "Is it what got you killed?"

I nodded, "Yup." A silence filled the air as the warm breeze blew over us.

"I can't say I'm not thrilled to see you." Jim finally told me.

"It's good to see you too." I told him.

"I'm glad that you moved on." He said softly. "That you didn't hold on to me."

"I'm sorry." I told him.

"Don't be." He smiled. "I've been gone for a while now. You were never supposed to be alone."

"No." I told him. "I've found a man I love more then anything." He smiled. "This is a little awkward to talk about with you. Considering we were engaged and all." I smiled at him.

"Yeah, but I obviously wasn't the love of your life. I left it far too soon to be that." He replied.

"I guess not." I replied. "Dean's great. He really is. He loves me just as much as I love him. Though now I've left him." I said as tears came to my eyes. "I've left him and I promised I would never leave. I promised him that I would never leave him. But I have. He's lost so much in his life. He doesn't deserve to lose me too. I don't want to leave him."

"You didn't have a choice." Jim told me.

"It was a bad accident. I don't even know if they're okay." I replied. "How am I supposed to know?" I asked looking at him.

"You just do. You can feel them every once in a while." He told me. "I could feel you sometimes. Sometimes you were hurt sometimes you were happy. But you can't control it. Not that I've found at least. Can't say I've tried to control it. It hurts too much to feel how the living is."

I furrowed my brows as I thought a moment. "I felt something when I got here. Something that was pulling me toward it. But I couldn't place it." I told him.

"It might have been one of them." He replied. "You'll learn."

I nodded and looked out into the field. "Will it stay like this?" I asked him.

"It'll be whatever you want it to be." He replied.

"Are you here because I wanted you to be or because you did?" I asked him.

He looked out over the field. "I felt you. It was strong. I knew that something had happened and that you were coming. I wanted to be here for you." He told me.

"Thank you." I smiled at him. "It is really good to see you." I said taking his hand. It was warm. He grinned and put his arm across my shoulders.

"You too, baby." He said and kissed my hair.

We sat and watched as the sun set. I honestly wasn't sure it was going to. When it was down Jim excused himself. He was going to return to his own heaven. I was almost curious enough to follow him, wondering what his heaven looked like. But I let him go. I watched him walk away, waving before he disappeared. Cooper remained at my side. He was panting, a grin written across his face. I smiled and kissed his head before a melancholy settled over me. I looked up into the sky and soon clouds flooded into it. Lightening started to strike as the thunder came rumbling in. There was a crack of lighting that opened the sky letting the rain come pouring down. I closed my eyes resting my head back on my shoulders. I let the rain wash over me. Letting it touch every part of me. Soon my tears were mixed in with the rain. I held my knees against me as I sobbed into them. I knew what had happened now. I remembered what had happened and what I was leaving behind. The only thing I didn't know was if they were okay. I didn't know if Dean was okay. What about Sammy? Was John with his boys? I sobbed harder as I thought about it. I didn't know. I would never really know. Heaven was supposed to be wonderful. It was supposed to be a place where you spent your afterlife happy and whole, knowing you had lived your life. But I hadn't. I hadn't lived my life. I had so much more to do. I still had to be happy with Dean. I had to stop the demon and set everything right. I wasn't supposed to die. I wasn't supposed to have to say goodbye. I didn't want to say it. It wasn't the way it was supposed to be. It wasn't the way! Yet…that was exactly the way. There is always goodbye. No one can live forever. Someday there would always be goodbye. Someone would always be leaving. I just didn't want it to be me.

The field remained gray as it felt like everything was fading away. Everything was fading into darkness. Something that seemed to just accentuate my mood. I didn't want to be happy in heaven. Everything was going to be too perfect. I was happy on earth, no matter how imperfect it was. I was happy fighting the demons and saving the world. All I wanted was to be back there. There was someone there who needed me. Someone who I needed. I looked through the rain at Cooper. He looked back and let out a heavy sigh. I nodded and looked over the rain stricken field. It would pass. This was heaven. Sadness wouldn't be able to prevail. I would let it out. I would let it out and then have to say goodbye. He wasn't going to follow me here. He was going to go on. I had to do the same. So here I was, staring into nowhere, saying goodbye to my life. Letting myself go. Knowing that I would be here for a very long time. But someday he would come. Someday he would return to me. I'd be waiting for that day. I would wait for him. But for now…goodbye is all that's left.

THE END

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**And there you have it. I hope you enjoyed it and I send out a big thanks to those who read it. =]**


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